Windows of the Soul
by Dez Guardius
Summary: In the aftermath of the MizukiScroll incident, Naruto discovers his secret heritage and his ancestors' legacy.  Watch him grow to become a legend all on his own... without the Kyuubi to helphinder him.  NarutoHAREM, select chapters will contain LEMONS
1. The Last of the First

Hey everyone, Dez Guardius here. First thing, I haven't forgotten **Wrath of the Dragon**, I'm just temporarily out of ideas for it, disregarding the Search for Tsunade Arc. So, to help me recover, I've decided to start another one, as part of an idea I've had for a while and decided to test it out.

You know the rest, I don't own Naruto or any of its characters. If I did, Naruto wouldn't be a dumbass, Sasuke wouldn't be the Emo-king, and Kyuubi would be female. Enough rambling, time to get on with the show.

Blah Human dialogue

**Blah** Summon/Demon dialogue

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Chapter 1: The Last of the First

It was nighttime when the young shinobi-in-training jumped down in the forest. He was wearing a bright orange jumpsuit, a set of green goggles, and had a scroll his size in his back.

One of the unusual things about him was his sun-kissed blonde hair, ocean blue eyes, and three whisker marks on each cheek.

"That was close," said Uzumaki Naruto, as he sat and unfurled the scroll. This was the Scroll of Sealing, a scroll that had all sorts of Kage-level jutsu within it. Naruto had been told by his sensei Mizuki to retrieve the scroll and learn a jutsu from it as extra credit, then Iruka-sensei would pass him, for Naruto had failed his third Genin Exam in a row.

"Let's get started…" he mused, looking over the scroll. "Kage Bunshin?" he muttered. "That looks interesting…" Moving on, he saw a bunch of other jutsu. In a moment of insight, he retrieved a blank scroll from the pouch on his back, and began copying down jutsu.

When he got to something called "Shishou Fuujin", he saw a spiral below it. 'Hmm… is that a seal of sorts?' Struggling to remember what Iruka-sensei had taught him about seals, he faintly remembered that some needed blood to open. Biting his thumb, he rubbed the blood across the seal, and in a puff of smoke, another scroll appeared.

"What the… why does this have my name on it?" said Naruto, squinting his eyes. Deciding to review it later, he put it in his pouch and got to work on learning Kage Bunshin.

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A couple of hours later, Umino Iruka found a beaten and panting Naruto on the ground. Landing in front of his student, he growled, "I…. found you…!" Naruto repeated back, "Found you, nose-bleeder!"

"Dumbass! I found you!!" yelled Iruka. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Learning…" said Naruto cheekily. "But I only managed to learn one jutsu… but I guess I can be a Genin now, right?"

That made Iruka suspicious. "Naruto… where did you find out about that scroll?"

"Mizuki-sensei told me about it, and about this place too…" said Naruto, trailing off as Iruka gazed off into space.

Iruka sprung into action, tossing Naruto away as a hail of kunai came out of nowhere and impacted, hitting Iruka in various places. Iruka shrugged off the pain, and pulled out the kunai, muttering, "So that's how it is…"

Mizuki, wearing a Konoha bandana and two overly large shuriken, crouched on a tree branch. "Nice job in finding him," he said to Iruka, then turned his attention to Naruto. "Nice job Naruto, now give me the scroll!"

"Don't do it!" shouted Iruka, pulling out the last kunai. "That scroll has jutsu collected by the past Hokage's, many of them too dangerous to use! Mizuki used you to get the scroll!"

Naruto looked up and Mizuki, to see his former teacher grin evilly. "I guess there's no point in delaying," said Mizuki. "Naruto, do you know why the whole village hates you?"

Knowing where this was going, Iruka yelled in panic, "No, Mizuki, you can't! It's forbidden!!"

Ignoring Iruka, Mizuki continued. "Roughly 12 years ago, you know how the Kyuubi no Kitsune attacked? Well, immediately after that, there was a new law made. But that law… was never meant to be said to you, or anyone for that matter."

"What… law?" said Naruto, feeling uneasy.

"Stop, Mizuki!!" shouted Iruka, who went ignored.

Mizuki chuckled evilly, and said, "Yondaime Hokage-sama wasn't able to kill the Kyuubi, so he sealed it away… into the body of a baby. And you were that baby!" Laughing, Mizuki finished with, "That's why everyone hates you, you're the dreaded Kyuubi no Kitsune!!"

Naruto was dumbstruck. It explained the hatred of the villagers, and why he was beaten to near death on his own birthday. Faintly hearing Mizuki yell how even Iruka hated him because of his parents' deaths, he just stood there as Mizuki threw one of his overly large shuriken at him.

When he felt blood hit his face, he snapped out of his stupor to see that Iruka had taken the shuriken in the back. "… Why?" he croaked out.

"Because," Iruka said, tears streaming down his face, "you're just like me. It must have been hard, hiding all that pain… but I can't hate you, not you…"

Falling to the side, Iruka rolled onto his seat to pull the shuriken out of his back. Mizuki rushed him, yelling, "Fine, demon-lover!! I'll just kill you both and take the scroll for myself--!!" He was cut off by a knee to the face.

Iruka was now feeling massive amounts of pain, and unable to help. "Naruto, run!! Get away!! Protect the scroll with your life!!"

Naruto stood the scroll on end, and said, "But the comrades come first… isn't that what you taught us, Iruka-sensei?"

By this time, Mizuki had recovered and stood. "Comrades!? Pfftt, you're just like me, demon-brat! You have all that power, and…"

"Shut up," said Naruto, glaring at Mizuki while putting his hands in a cross-shaped seal. "You hurt Iruka-sensei, and I'll return his pain to you one thousand-fold."

"Go on, Kyuubi!!" yelled Mizuki, pulling another large shuriken, and he immediately wished he hadn't said that.

Surrounding the area were at least a thousand Naruto's. Courtesy of Kage Bunshin no Jutsu.

Both Iruka and Mizuki were gob-smacked. Iruka thought, "He mastered a S-Ranked Ninjutsu…" Mizuki turned his head, scared out of his wits. "What… how… what the…?"

The lead Naruto grinned and said, "If you're done pissing, it's time for an ass-kicking!"

The forest was then introduced to Mizuki's wails.

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Looking down at the unconscious Mizuki, Naruto rubbed his head sheepishly and said, "I think I overdid it…"

Iruka grinned and sat up. "Naruto, come here," he said. "I have something for you. Close your eyes."

Naruto did so, and when Iruka told him to open them, the first thing he saw was Iruka's headband-less face. "Congrats… on passing," said Iruka, grinning.

Naruto tackle-hugged Iruka, saying, "Thank you," over and over.

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Many moments later found Naruto at his little apart, looking over the jutsu he had copied. It was then that he remembered the other scroll, and pulled it out. He saw another seal on it, and biting his thumb once more, rubbed it over the seal. He then read the scroll.

_To Uzumaki Naruto_

_If you are reading this, then all has gone as planned. Naruto, you may not know me, but I know you. My name is Namikaze Minato, but I am known as Yondaime Hokage. You are my only son and heir, and I hope you can forgive me for what I'm about to do._

_My son, it is with a heavy heart that I do this, but too many have died already, and no more need to. The Kyuubi no Kitsune is attacking, and I intend to make it so that it can't hurt anyone else. So, I am forced to seal it with you, my son._

_You may hate me for this, but I am out of options. You are the only chance our village has for survival, and with your mother - my beloved wife Kushina - gone, I feel like I have nothing to live for. If I could, I would seal it elsewhere, but I cannot. You are the only one able to hold it. With the jutsu I made, the Kyuubi will be locked away, but I wil be forced to pass on._

_The Kyuubi approaches, so I must end here. You are the last of our mighty clan, and you will be in constant danger because of it. Our clan information is below, so please, keep it to yourself, at least until you can defend yourself. I hope that you will be seen as a hero, but a nagging feeling says otherwise._

_Once more, I am sorry for this, and I love you with all my heart._

_Your loving father,_

_Namikaze Minato, Yondaime Hokage_

When Naruto finished reading it, he wiped the tears from his eyes. "Baka," he murmured. "But you did it to save me, and everyone else…" he grinned, hugging to scroll to his chest. "Arigatou… Minato-tou-san…"

Wiping away his tears, he looked to see another seal. Unsealing it, out popped a scroll roughly his size, and he unfurled it to read it.

_To Whom It May Concern:_

_If you are reading this, then our legacy lives on. You, reader, are the last of our clan, the Tenmuujin Clan. We were among the most powerful shinobi in the Elemental Countries, at their making. This was due to our doujutsu, the Reinogan. With it, we were nigh unstoppable._

_Unfortunately, due to unknown reasons, our clan produced mainly females; for every 3 female Tenmuujin, there was 1 male. And our clan started dying off, also due to unknown reasons, so those of us left relocated to Mizu no Kuni._

_But then, the First Bloodline War came, and we were nearly annihilated. There were roughly twelve of us then, and by the time we made it to Hi no Kuni, that number was reduced by half. To protect our identities, we changed our names to Namikaze, and have remained here in Konohagakure for fifty years._

Naruto lowered his head. He had a family, but they were all dead… killed in the Kyuubi attack. He narrowed his eyes, that Kyuubi was the reason he had no family. But since he had his father's techniques, he would find some way to make it suffer. Shaking his head, head moved on.

_Reinogan:_

_To activate, the user has to mold chakra in their eyes, and it will activate. Upon activation, the first level is already accessible. It is possible to use two levels at once, but it will take more chakra to keep the eyes on._

Naruto closed his eyes, took a deep breath, put his hands in the Ram Seal, and opened them. His vision was a bit sharpened, so he got up and looked in his mirror, and there his eyes widened.

His eyes had turned a shimmering orange, and he had no pupil. He could also see a small black triangle at the top of his iris. Grinning, he went back to his scroll.

_The Reinogan has five levels. When the Reinogan is in use, the user's eyes will lose the pupils, and will glow a specific color for each level, and have a small triangle to represent each level. Once all five levels are unlocked, the user will possess five triangles going around the iris, forming an apparant pentagon. However, to unlock each level, certain conditions must be met, and no levels can be skipped. When the user wants to use a specific level, they must say "Reinogan no Tomoe: ...", then the level/power name. To activate a specific ability, they must say either "Ichi" or "Ni" (when applicable)._

"Sweet," said Naruto, and he looked down further to see what he had gained.

_Tomoe 1 - Kanchi (Perception)_

_Level 1 allows the user to see all details, to the point of being able to duplicate anything being done before them. The user can also see up to a maximum of 1.5 miles away. Level 2 allows the user X-Ray vision, and they act similar to the Byakugan of the Hyuuga Clan in this aspect, from seeing Tenketsu to seeing foreign objects in the body. "Kanchi" is obtained when the user first activates their doujutsu. When in use, the user's eyes glow orange with one black triangle. On a side note, to use Level 1 and 2 at the same time requires the user to say "San"._

Naruto rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Going outside and jumping to the roof of his apartment, he decided to test it out. Looking towards the Hokage Monument, he said "Reinogan no Tomoe: Kanchi Ni!!" Immediately, he could see the monument close-up, and he could see each of the Kage's faces in clear detail.

Grinning, he jumped down, and went back inside. He went back to the scroll to see what was next.

_Tomoe 2 - Kanetsu (Heat)_

_Level 1 allows the user to see any heat given off, from fire to body heat. Level 2 allows the user to see any chakra, from residue to being produced. "Kanetsu" is obtained when the user has increased their natural eyesight by at least 50. When in use, the user's eyes glow yellow with two black triangles._

"Damn, how am I supposed to do that," he said. Thinking, he then decided to go see the Hokage later on.

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Sandaime looked wearily at Naruto's profile. His picture showed him with red face-paint around his eyes, a red line going from his lower lip to his chin, and from the bottom of his eyes to his ears. 'Well, it could have been worst,' he thought to himself.

"I'm still trying to figure out why you did that," he said to Naruto. Naruto grinned and said, "It's a surprise, and I wanted to make at least look decent…"

"This is going in the Shinobi records. And you're supposed to be wearing your hitai-ate."

"I know…" said Naruto, but he trailed off hearing the door creak.

Suddenly, a small child with a cap and a ridiculously long scarf ran in yelling, "Oji-san, fight me!!" Then he tripped over the scarf and fell on his face. Sitting up quickly, he said, "All right, who tripped me!?"

Into the room came a man with black glasses, a bandana, and wearing all black. He glared at Naruto, and then said, "Honorable grandson, are you all right!? No one set a trap!!"

'Who is this kid?' thought Naruto, as the kid's gaze centered on him. "You tripped me!!" said the kid, rushing Naruto. Naruto picked him up by the front of his shirt and shot back, "You tripped on your own clothes, you idiot!"

"Hey!!" said Ebisu, the man in black. "Put him down! He's Konohamaru, the honorable grandson!!"

Socking Konohamaru on his head, Naruto growled, "And you assume I care?" With that, he turned on his heel and left, heedless of the sputtering Ebisu.

Walking down the street, he put on his goggles and began experimenting with his newfound doujutsu discreetely. 'Okay, "Kanetsu" let's me see details and nearly two miles away with level 1, and level 2 let's me see through things… Maybe, I'll be able to find my clan home, and then I can move there…' he caught movement behind him, and sighed. Turning off his doujutsu, he pulled his goggles up and spun saying, "Come on out, that's not fooling anyone!"

Pulling down the cloth he was holding wrong, Konohamaru grinned and said, "So, the rumors are true…" Pointing at him, he said, "I know, you can be my Taichou (1), and you be able to help me beat Grandpa!!"

Squinting, Naruto muttered, "Taichou…?"

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Later found Konohamaru and Naruto sitting on a log, resting after Konohamaru was trying to learn Naruto's Orioke no Jutsu. "Why do you want to beat your Grandpa so much?" he asked Konohamaru.

"Grandpa named me Konohamaru…" said the boy, looking down. "And because of that, no one acknowledges me as that… I'm just the Honorable Grandson to them. And I'm sick of that… that's why I want to be Hokage."

"Get in line," said Naruto, ignoring Konohamaru's surprised look. "I'm gonna be Hokage first… but it ain't easy! If you want the name of Hokage…" he looked at Konohamaru and grinned. "You better beat me first!"

"Found you!!" said Ebisu, looking on them both. He glared at Naruto. 'How dare the Kyuubi-brat taint the Honorable Grandson…'

Naruto glared right back, while Konohamaru said, "I'm gonna beat Grandpa and be Hokage! Don't get in my way!"

Ebisu was about to launch into his tirade about the points of being Hokage when Konohamaru shouted, "HENGE!!"

In a puff of smoke, Konohamaru was replaced by a beautiful naked brunette. "Orioke no Jutsu!" she giggled.

Ebisu gaped.

Konohamaru went back to normal, and Ebisu yelled, "S-such a vulgar skill!! I am a gentleman! Such a low-class skill is useless against me!!" Grabbing Konohamaru's scarf, he tried to drag him off. "Come, Honorable Grandson, hanging around the likes of him will rot your brain!"

"I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go…!"

"You're coming with me and that's that, because I'm your shortcut to becoming Hokage!" said Ebisu, and then he heard, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Turning around he saw a line of Naruto's. "I'm not as weak as Mizuki," said he. "I am a Tokubetsu Jounin…" he trailed off when all the Naruto's said, "Henge!"

Ebisu soon found himself surrounded by no less then twenty beautiful naked blondes, all of whom were cooing his name. Chivalry be damned, he was still a red-blooded male, so he did what any red-blooded male would do… he rocketed off in a geyser of blood.

Dispelling his clones, Naruto grinned and said, "Meet my Haremu no Jutsu."

He turned from the unconscious Ebisu to the cursing Konohamaru and said, "Hey kid… the title of Hokage takes a long road… you better prepare yourself. 'Cause there ain't any shortcuts to becoming Hokage." Grinning, he finished with, "If you wanna be Hokage, you're gonna have to beat me to it."

Konohamaru was silent, then he said, "Okay… then from now on, we're rivals!"

Walking off and giving Konohamaru a thumbs-up, Naruto said, "I'll look forward to fighting you later on…"

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Naruto jumped through the trees, landing on a building near the abandoned Uchiha Sector. It was nearly evening, and he still hadn't found his clan home. Sighing, he thought that he'd look for it later, when a glint of light caught his eye. Moving toward it, he saw a magnificent temple-like structure was before him, with a stone wall going around it. Deep down, he felt a sense of familiarity, of belonging. "I've found it," he said grinning. Looking over it, he found a handprint in the stone.

Sighing, he cut his hand, and put it in the handprint. A moment later, there was the sound of gears and stone grinding, and the stone split in two and swung inwards. Naruto entered, and was amazed by what he found.

To his right was a blooming Sakura tree, with a pond on its right side and going to the back. To his left, four statues of Kitsune. In front of him stood his clan complex, divided into three buildings. The main building was the largest and in the center, and the adjoining buildings were slanting right and left.

Grinning, he inspected the entrance in the barrier. Another handprint was there, but this one just required his touch to close. And now that he unsealed it, he could get back in without giving up blood. With that, he left his newfound home, and went back to his old one.

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Using storage scrolls, he packed everything he had, which wasn't much. The last thing he did was tying the Tenmuujin scroll to his back. He stood in the doorway, and inhaled the smell of his apartment one last time. "Goodbye, old place" he said, before closing the door.

Unknown to Naruto, he was watched by Sandaime, through his mystical crystal ball. "Ah, Minato," he sighed, puffing smoke from his pipe. "You and Kushina would both be proud of your boy." With that, he exited his office to retire for the night.

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Naruto quickly got situated in his new home. He found his bedroom, and set it up, leaving the Tenmuujin scroll on his bed. He then looked out on his yard. Those foxes… they reminded him of the Kyuubi. Narrowing his eyes, he set out on his mission, not knowing what he was doing would change his life forever.

Hours later found him marking one of the stone foxes with seals, using his blood as markers. He had spent the last couple of hours trying to understand the three Fuuin Jutsu his father used: Shiki Fuujin, Hakke no Fuuin Shiki, and Shishou Fuujin.

"Now," he said, "worst thing that can happen is that I go out with a bang…" With that, he started going through seals.

"**What in the seven hells do you think you are doing?**"

Naruto jumped at the voice that came out of nowhere. "Who-who's there!?" he yelled, looking around.

"**I'm inside your head, flesh-rat,**" growled the voice. "**You know me as the almighty Kyuubi no Kitsune.**"

Naruto began to tremble with rage. "You!? You're the reason I have no family, and why everyone hates me!"

Kyuubi chuckled. "**And you assume I care? I'm far too powerful to care about petty human squabbles…**"

Naruto growled. "Yeah, well I'll show you!" Continuing his seals, he grinned evilly. "I'm gonna put you in this statue… marked by holy seals, and you'll be in there forever."

Kyuubi laughed. "**Little fool… if you release the seal, I'll be free… and you will die.**"

"Eh!?" went Naruto. And he did the one thing that decided his future.

He messed up a seal.

Immediately, the seals on the stone fox began to glow, and Naruto felt a searing pain in his stomach. Crouching and crying out, he faintly heard horrible laughter, then… "**No. No! NOO!!!**" Then the stone fox exploded, and he was thrown backwards, and blissful blackness overtook him.

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((Naruto's Mindscape))

When Naruto opened his eyes, he saw pipes above him. "Did I die?" he asked aloud. He looked around, and he saw a steel door knocked off its hinges. Creeping over to it, he peeped in.

He could see a large brass cage with a fuuda that had the kanji for "Seal". But the cage was misshapen, and he could see a lake of red beyond it. No Kyuubi, though.

Suddenly, he felt a bit woozy. Sitting down, he muttered, "Not again," before falling backwards and passing out.

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When he came to, the sun was shining. Sitting up, he groaned as he rubbed his head. He then noticed that things came into sharper focus, and he could smell the Sakura tree. Looking at the stone fox, he saw that it had been blown to pieces. Standing shakily, he went inside, and made his way to his room. His scroll was still open, but something else had appeared. Rubbing his eyes and looking down, he shouted, "Yatta!!"

He had gained the second Tomoe, Kanetsu. Now he had instructions for the third Tomoe.

_Tomoe 3 - Konmei (Confusion)_

_Allows the user to disorient anyone hit. To send a burst of this power [from the eyes, the user has to say "Ranzatsu". "Konmei" is obtained when the user has sharpened their mind, usually by knowledge acquired from Kage Bunshin. When in use, the user's eyes glow white with three black triangles._

Naruto grinned. "It's a good thing that I learned Kage Bunshin, then…" he trailed off looking at his clock. "Kuso!!" he cursed, "I'm gonna be late!!" He looked down, he couldn't go as is, his orange jumpsuit was shredded. Frantically, he went through his stuff, then opened his closet. What he saw inside made him grin foxily.

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Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino, two rival kunoichi for a certain heir's affections, reached the classroom at the same time.

"Cha! Take that, Ino-pig!" said Sakura panting. "No, I won!" retorted Ino. Glaring, both of them made their way toward their object of affection.

Uchiha Sasuke, the object of affection and sympathy for the whole village, brooded while ignoring the looks his fangirls sent him. He was the sole survivor of the Uchiha clan, which had been massacred by one of their own when he was little. Since then, he had been seen as the dark and mysterious type. Right now, he just wanted this done and over with.

The door flew open, and in walked Naruto. Everyone there was surprised to see him, but that's not what rendered them speechless.

Naruto came in wearing a navy blue jumpsuit, with the coat open revealing an ash-gray netted shirt, with a strange pattern on the stomach; a red spiral surround by five triangles. On the shoulders of the jacket were ash-gray patches with the Kanji for "Wind" in black. Add that it seemed he had grown an inch overnight, and he gained a lithe set of muscles, and you had a whole lot of potential. But what stood out the most was the scroll that he tied to his back; the Tenmuujin scroll.

The first to recover was on Hyuuga Hinata, who had harbored a deep affection (cough, LOVE, cough) for Naruto; she blushed deeply, her eyes rolled up, and she fainted.

Naruto was snickering at the gaping new Genin, and then he noticed an enticing smell. 'Where's that coming from?' he thought to himself, then was brought out of his thoughts by someone asking. "What the hell are you doing here, Naruto? This is for graduates only!"

Pointing at his hitai-ate, he grinned and said, "Need I say more?" With that, he made his way up to a seat, but that smell came back. 'Smell's like honey,' he thought, and decided to follow his nose. Eventually, he came to Hinata. "Hinata-chan?" he said, poking her gently. "You okay?"

Hinata's eyes fluttered and she opened to see Naruto mere inches from her face. She reddened and tried her best not to faint. "Ha-Hai, N-Naruto-kun…"

Naruto nodded and sat one seat down, next to Sasuke. He then smelled dog, and rolled his eyes. "What, Kiba?"

Inuzuka Kiba glared down at Naruto, while his pet and partner Akamaru whimpered and tried to get his master to avoid Naruto. "What's with the new look, dobe? And that giant scroll? "

Sasuke wanted to know that as well, but he was too proud to ask.

Naruto grinned. "The winds of change blew last night, and the scroll is my clan scroll."

That caused a number of people to think. A clan? But Naruto was an orphan…

Their thoughts were interrupted by Iruka, who came in. "Well, now that everyone's here, we can get started." Pulling out a clipboard, he faced the students. "Starting today, you are all Genin. But the hard part has just started. You'll be assigned to three-man teams, and each team will have one Jounin-sensei. The teams are balanced like so… the best in class, the worst in class, and one to balance them out. When you're assigned certain duties to the village, you'll follow your Jounin-sensei's instructions."

'Pft,' thought Sasuke. 'Three-man teams… more people to get in my way.'

'I think I'd rather be with Sakura-chan,' thought Naruto, his arm supporting his scroll. 'Then… anyone else, except for Sasuke and Kiba.'

"Team 7… Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura…"

(In that order) "Yatta!" "Damn…"

"… and Uchiha Sasuke."

"Damn…" "Yatta!"

Naruto didn't bother raising a stink about Sasuke, so he just decided to bear it.

"Team 8… Inuzuka Kiba, Hyuuga Hinata, and Aburame Shino."

Naruto felt somewhat sorry for Hinata, so he turned and gave her a thumbs-up, to help her confidence. She blushed and looked in her lap. 'There's that smell again,' he thought. 'Why is there a honey smell coming from Hinata?'

(We all know the rest of the teams.)

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Naruto looked out the door for the tenth time. "Where is that guy?" he said aloud.

"Naruto, stay still! He'll get here when he gets here," said Sakura. She had been feeling funny for the past hour. She felt somewhat… heated. She blamed it on the summer heat.

"Well, since he's late…" said Naruto, placing an eraser on the door frame.

"Naruto…"

"What?" he shrugged at Sakura. "If he's a Jounin, then he should be able to avoid it."

Right after he said that, the door opened, and the eraser fell on the head of a silver-haired mask-wearing Jounin with his hitai-ate going over his left eye.

"Speak of the devil," said Naruto, squinting. 'He smells like dog, too…'

'This guy is supposed to teach us?' thought Sasuke.

"Hmm…" said the Jounin, rubbing his masked chin. "My first impression is… you're a bunch of idiots."

Afterwards, all four met on the roof. "Okay," said the Jounin, "let's do some introductions. You know, likes, dislikes… those things."

"You first," said Naruto, holding his scroll in one arm. "We don't know anything about you."

"Oh… me? I'm Hatake Kakashi. I have no desire to tell you guys my likes and dislikes. I have lots of hobbies. Dreams for the future…?"

"All we learned…" began Naruto.

"…was his name." finished Sakura.

"All right," said Kakashi, pointing at Naruto. "You first, scroll boy."

Squinting his eyes and grinning, Naruto started. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I like Instant Ramen and Training. I dislike the 3 minutes it takes for Ramen to cook, and bigoted bastards. Also Emos, can't forget those whiny little bastards. Dreams for the future… rebuild my clan and become Hokage! My hobbies are training, pranks, and gardening."

Kakashi nodded, while inwardly thinking, 'I didn't know he had a clan…' "You next, duck ass."

Sasuke glared at Kakashi, and said. "Uchiha Sasuke. I don't have a lot of likes, and I have plenty of dislikes. I don't use the word dream… but I have an ambition: To resurrect my clan and kill a certain man."

'An avenger… why am I not surprised?' thought Kakashi. "You're up pinky."

"I'm Haruno Sakura. I like…" she looked over at Sasuke and giggled. "I dislike… " she was tempted to say "Naruto", but the heat returned, and her voice caught. So, instead she said, "Ino-pig. Dreams for the future?" She looked off into space and giggled. "My hobby…"

"Enough," said Kakashi, holding up a hand. "Okay, we'll start our duties tomorrow."

"Sweet," said Naruto. "What kind?"

"First, the four of us are gonna do Survival Training. But this isn't regular training. It'll be you three against me." Here he chuckled. "But…"

"But what?" asked Sakura.

"This test has a failure rate of 66. Anyone who fails gets sent back to the Academy," said Kakashi, his visible eye in an upside U, indicating a smile.

The three Genin were gob-smacked, and Naruto was the first to recover. "So, what was the point of graduating!?"

"That was a Genin Selection Process, seeing who were the most desirable candidates for the rank of Genin. Anyway, you'll be graded on the field. By the way, don't eat tomorrow morning, you'll throw up." Handing them papers, he said, "The details are on the paper. Don't be late." With that, he poofed away.

Naruto stood up and tied the scroll to his back. "Well, see you two later," he said, before jumping down. Sakura was about to call him, but she restrained herself at the last moment. She then turned to Sasuke, but he was already going in the door.

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Later that night, Naruto sat in his room, going over what had happened the previous night. "From what I figure, when the Transfer Sealing backfired, it sent the Kyuubi somewhere, but left me with his chakra… and I've gained some enhanced senses. The only ones who could help me are Kiba's folks, but I don't think they like me much…" Deciding not to brood on it, he went to bed. The last thought he had was, 'You would've thought that any other Shinobi would have felt that chakra pulse…'

The following morning, he got the training grounds at the same time as Sakura and Sasuke. They ended up waiting two hours before Kakashi showed. "You're late," Naruto and Sakura yelled.

Ignoring them, Kakashi set a clock down on a wooden stump and said, "This is set for Noon. Here are two bells. Your task is to get them away from me. And only the winners get to eat lunch."

Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke all had the same thought: 'Lousy bastard… that's why he told us not to eat.'

"Since there are two bells, that means one of you will definitely be tied to the stump. And that one will be sent back to the academy. The only you'll defeat me… is if you come with the intent to kill."

At the glares he was getting, Kakashi chuckled. "You know, I'm beginning to like you guys." Then he got serious. "All right… START!"

And just like that, the three Genin were gone.

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'Good,' thought Kakashi. 'They've all hidden themselves well…' He then saw Naruto still standing in front of him. 'Never mind…'

'What is he doing?' thought Sakura, from her spot in the underbrush. Sasuke had the same thought from his vantage point in the trees.

"Fight me!" said Naruto.

Kakashi reached into his pouch and pulled… an orange book with "Come Come Paradise" on the cover. Naruto blanched. "Why do you have a book!?"

"Because I wanna find out what happens next. But it won't matter in the long run…"

Naruto growled and rushed Kakashi, who dodged while reading. "Lesson One: Taijutsu," he mused. When Naruto delivered a roundhouse kick, Kakashi got behind, and crouched with his hands in the Tiger Seal. "Rule number 1: A shinobi is never caught from behind…" With that, he thrust forward.

"SENNIN GOROSHI!!"

Naruto rocketed into the air, screaming and holding his ass. 'That wasn't Ninjutsu,' thought an annoyed Sakura. 'That was just a super ass-poke…'

'Pfft… two morons,' thought Sasuke. He was as surprised as the rest when Naruto disappeared in a puff of smoke. 'What the…? What was that jutsu?'

'Ah,' thought Kakashi. 'Kage Bunshin. He must have done it when they separated. Looks like he's not a total idiot after all…'

Elsewhere, Naruto watched as his cloned disappeared, and sighed in relief. To think that could've been me…' Involuntarily, he shuddered. 'Why do I feel violated and scarred for life, all of a sudden…?'

In the meantime, Sasuke caught Kakashi off guard and threw a combination of kunai and shuriken. Kakashi took them in the side, and then disappeared in the puff of smoke. When the smoke cleared, there was a log in his place.

"Damn," swore Sasuke, as he leapt backwards through the trees. "Kawarimi no Jutsu… now he knows where I am. Bastard used a trap, and I fell for it…"

He was unaware of an eye peeping through a gap in the bushes. "Heh heh… silly little Genin… Now to screw with them…"

In the meantime, Sakura had been making as little noise as possible as she leapt through the bushes. 'Sasuke-kun… Naruto-kun… where are you? Could sensei already have…? No, not Sasuke-kun… he wouldn't let that happen… neither would Naruto-kun…' She was thrown out of her thoughts by the sight of Kakashi through a gap of trees. 'Phew, he didn't notice me,' she thought.

"Sakura…"

Sakura spun around to see Kakashi inches away look her in the eye, and then disappear in a swirl of leaves. The leaves spun every, and she felt herself grow sleepy. She shook her head, saying, "What was that!? Where's sensei!?"

"Sakura…"

That was a different voice, a voice she was waiting to hear. "Sasuke-kun!!" she said in glee, turning around.

Sasuke was covered in kunai and shuriken, and bleeding heavily from a severed arm. "Help… me…" he gasped. Sakura went pale, and shivered, and then another voice came out.

"Sa-Sakura-chan…"

Shakily, she turned to see Naruto with swords jutting out from his back, kunai in his arms, and a bloody wound over his left eye. Falling to his knees, he gasped out "Sakura-chan… help m… me…" before spitting up blood.

That was all Sakura could take, so she screamed as hard as she could, and fainted.

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"Hmm," said Kakashi, crouching on a tree branch while reading his little orange book. "I think I overdid it… Lesson #2: Genjutsu…"

Sasuke looked up at hearing the scream. "That scream… Sakura…"

Naruto was on the same tree Kakashi was on, and when he heard the scream, he winced and leapt off the tree as quietly as he could, making his way towards Sakura through the underbrush.

Unfortunately, Kakashi saw him, but surprisingly, he ignored him. 'Hmm… he's going for his teammate instead of the bell… maybe this team isn't hopeless after all…' Out loud he said, "Genjutsu… Illusionary Techniques… Sakura fell for it easily."

"I'm not like those other two," said Sasuke, his back to Kakashi.

"Say that after you got the bells… Sasuke-chan."

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Meanwhile, Naruto had gotten to Sakura and shaken her awake. "Ne, Sakura-chan, wake up… the times almost up."

Sakura opened her eyes to see Naruto's sky blue ones, and she felt her heart skip a beat. 'No, no! I like Sasuke-kun, not Naruto-kun…' she said in her head while sitting up. "Naruto, what are you doing here?"

Naruto rubbed his head and grinned. "I figured that together, the two of us might stand a better chance of getting the bells."

"But sensei said…" Sakura was cut off by an explosion, and she and Naruto turned their head to see a cloud of smoke. "What was that?"

"Not sure," said Naruto. "Let's go check it out."

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"Lesson #3: Ninjutsu…" said Kakashi, crouching down to look Sasuke in the eye. "Doton: Shinjuu Zanshu… looks like you managed to get ahead of the others…" he chuckled at his poorly made pun, and walked away, letting the angered Sasuke hear another bad pun: "You know what they say… an exposed nail must be hammered in… heh heh heh…"

Immediately after, Naruto and Sakura appeared, with Sakura screaming at the sight of Sasuke's head above the ground, and passing out again. Naruto caught her, while Sasuke pulled himself out of the ground. When Sakura came to again, Sasuke turned on his heel and started to walk.

"Where do you think you're going, emo-boy?"

Sasuke ignored Naruto's insult and said, "There's not much time, I'm going to get a bell."

"Sasuke-kun, you're still going after the bells?"

"I already touched them, next time I'll get them," he said, earning a "What!?" from both Naruto and Sakura.

"Well," began Naruto, "wouldn't it work out to having all three of us trying to beat Kakashi-sensei's ass into the dirt?"

"Pft," said Sasuke, his back to them, "I don't need anyone's help. I almost got them by myself, and I'll get them for sure this time."

"But Sasuke-kun," said Sakura, stepping toward him, "there's not much time left, like you said, so we might stand a better chance next time…"

At this, Sasuke glared at the two of them. After a moment of silence he spoke at last. "There's a man I have to kill… I am an Avenger… I have to become stronger than that man, so I can't just stand around here, I have to get my own power my own way."

Right after he said that, the bell went off.

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Ten minutes later found Naruto tied to a log, with Sasuke and Sakura sitting next to him, and two bento lunches in front of them. "Why the hell am I tied to the log?" snapped Naruto at the grinning Kakashi.

"I dunno… some higher power, I guess. Anyways, you'll be glad to know that both you and Sakura get to go back to the academy."

"What!?" exclaimed Sakura. "How is that good news!?"

Sasuke said nothing, but gave off a small "bah".

"Yeah!" said Naruto. "While we go back to the academy, what about Sasuke-teme!?"

Kakashi gave off an eye-smile as he said, "Sasuke… should quit as a shinobi entirely!"

"WHAT?!?!"

Kakashi narrowed his visible eye at the three. "Even though it seems like I'm singling him out, it's the truth. Uchiha Sasuke is a selfish bastard who doesn't deserve to be a shinobi."

Sasuke growled and ran at Kakashi, who twisted his arm and sat on him. "See? That's what I'm talking about."

Looking at Naruto and Sakura, he continued. "Why do you think you were divided into teams of three and forced to do this exercise? You were on the way to answering this question before, when you met up again after the three lessons…"

In another rare moment of insight, Naruto picked up the answer. "Teamwork?"

Kakashi nodded. "Yep, teamwork."

"But how?" asked Sakura. "There are only two bells! Even if we did team up, then one of us would still fail…"

In yet another rare moment of insight, Naruto picked up another answer. "That was just to make us fight each other."

Both Kakashi and Sakura stared at him. "Who are you and what have you done with the real Uzumaki Naruto?" asked Sakura.

"Untie me, dammit!" Naruto yelled.

Kakashi chuckled. "Still the same kid… anyway, the purpose of the bells was to see if you would forget about yourselves and work together for the sake of the group."

Closing his eye, he delivered his observations. "Sakura, you were out looking for Sasuke, instead of Naruto who was closer. Naruto, you tried to do the work by yourself. Even so, the two of you managed to at least try to team up and work together." Pulling Sasuke's arm, he said, "But you, Mr. Avenger, saw the others as obstacles and tried to do everything by yourself, with the thought of asking for help."

Looking back at the Genin in front of him, he said, "The duties are done by the team. Of course, individual skills are valuable to a shinobi… but so is the value of 'Teamwork'. Individuals going off half-cocked can get you and your comrades in a dangerous situation. For example…"

Kakashi whipped out a kunai and put it to Sasuke's neck. "Sakura, kill Naruto! Or Sasuke dies!!"

At their alarmed looks, he put the kunai away and stood up, allowing Sasuke to stand. However, a Kakashi clone appeared behind him, and tied him to the post while freeing Naruto. After the Kakashi clone disappeared, the real Kakashi said, "If a hostage is taken, you'll have to make difficult choices. You'll be risking your lives on your duties to this village."

Walking over to a certain stone, Kakashi gazed at it impassively. "See this stone? The names on this stone are people recognized by this village as heroes. But they're not regular heroes… They died doing their duty… even my best friend's name is here, on this Memorial Stone."

Facing them, Kakashi grew narrowed his visible eye. "You guys get one more chance. After lunch, you can try and get the bells, but it'll be tougher this time around. Also, if you want to challenge me, you'd better eat, but don't give any to Sasuke… he's gotta learn to share before he gets himself into serious trouble. Here, I am the LAW… got it?" With that, he vanished.

Right after that, Naruto handed his food over to the tied Sasuke. "Want some food?"

While Sasuke glared, Sakura nearly choked. "Naruto-kun, sensei said…"

"Sensei said work for the good of the team… and if the three of us are gonna stand any chance against him, we all need to be at full strength."

Sakura nodded her head slowly, then offered her own food to Sasuke.

Suddenly, an explosion went off in front of them. Through the wind and smoke, the three Genin heard Kakashi yell, "WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST SAY?!?!" His voice sounded like the one of an angry god, and he looked the part as well. "JUST FOR THAT, YOU… ALL…"

Suddenly, he appeared before them, his visible eye… smiling? "…Pass…"

At this, there were two simultaneous "HUH!?"

"You guys are the first team I ever passed. Everyone else just did what I told them, like mindless drones. A shinobi must see underneath the underneath… Those who disregard the rules are trash… but those who abandon their comrades are lower than trash." With that, he gave them a thumbs-up. "That ends today's training. Starting tomorrow, Team 7 starts its missions."

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Moments later, Kakashi reappeared in the Hokage's Office, and he found Yuuhi Kurenai, newly promoted Jounin and renowned Genjutsu Mistress; Sarutobi Asuma, son of Sandaime Hokage and notoriously known for his perpetual cigarettes and Wind Affinity; and Umino Iruka, Chuunin Teacher and... well, we already know Iruka-sensei.

"Yuuhi Kurenai, Jounin-sensei of Inuzuka Kiba, Hyuuga Hinata, and Aburame Shino reporting that Team 8 passes."

"Sarutobi Asuma, Jounin-sensei Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino, and Akamichi Chouji reporting that Team 10 passes."

"Hatake Kakashi, Jounin-sensei of Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, and Uchiha Sasuke, reporting that Team 7 passes."

This caught everyone by surprise, because Kakashi was known to have _never_ have passed a team during his time as a Jounin-sensei. "Why the change of heart, Kakashi?" asked Asuma.

Kakashi inhaled and let out his breath. "This team is a unique one… Sakura's a fangirl still, but she looks like she's slowly coming out of that. Sasuke's an avenger, that much is certain, so I hazard that group dynamics are going to be a bit strained. Naruto…"

"How's Naruto?" asked Iruka.

"He's a strange one… He's got a good handle on Kage Bunshin, and he figured out the answer to the bell test without realizing it. He seems to dislike Sasuke a lot, but he seems to be the main anchor of the group."

Sandaime nodded. "He always was the most unpredictable shinobi…"

Kakashi nodded and off-handedly added "And he wants to rebuild his clan like Sasuke."

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When Naruto walked past the training grounds, he was unaware that he was followed. But when he got near Ichiraku Ramen, he suddenly spun around and said, "Come on out! I know you're there!"

From behind a lamppost appeared Hyuuga Hinata, her cheeks stained red. From being caught or something else, he didn't know. "Oh… Ohayo, Hinata-chan!"

She waved shyly, stuttering "O-ohayo N-Naruto-kun."

Naruto scratched his head and thought to himself, 'Why does she act like this around me? And why in the hell does she smell like honey again!?' "Ne, Hinata-chan, what's the matter? Do you need some help?"

Hinata shook her head and cursed herself for her weakness. She had been thinking about him earlier, but her thoughts had escalated from their usual PG goodness to pretty much X-Rated raunchiness. Breathing deeply, she stepped closer and asked, "H-How d-did you d-do on your team?"

Grinning broadly, Naruto chuckled and said, "Our sensei passed us, and he said we're the first team he ever passed. He said it was because of Teamwork and because we were the best out of the teams he went through."

Hinata nodded and stepped closer still. She was about to asked what his team was like when she felt her heart begin to race, and she felt hot. So she did what the situation demanded… she fainted.

Naruto cursed and caught her before she hit the ground. Hoisting her onto his back, he looked around and figured that since they were close to his house, he'd take her there and wait for her to wake up, and then take her home.

How wrong he was.

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When Hinata woke up, she was lying on her back with her head on a big scroll. Sitting up, she saw that she was in someone's yard, but then she heard grunting and the sound of blows landing.

Leaping to her feet, she activated her Byakugan and saw Naruto fighting a clone to her right. She sighed in relief and shut it off. She then took in that they were in a moderately well clan yard. Not as big as her clan's, but big enough to be comfortable.

"Ora, Hinata-chan!" came Naruto's voice, and she turned to him, her breath catching in her throat. He had taken off his coat and shirt, and was standing in front of her bare chested and sweating. He grinned foxily and said, "Glad to see you're up… Are you feeling okay?"

'No, I'm not,' she wanted to answer, but she didn't. She had been feeling heated since the beginning of the day, and she had been mainly thinking her Naruto-kun… Wait, where did that "her" come from? She shook her head, trying to clear her mind, but it didn't work.

Naruto saw this, and stepped closer, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Ne, do you need to go to the hospital?" he asked innocently.

Hinata felt his hand on her shoulder, and she lost it. Her body was screaming at her to give in and follow her instincts, and she did. When Naruto put his hand on her shoulder, Hinata tackled him to the ground and crushed her lips to his.

Naruto, for the most part, was caught be surprise. But he smelled more honey than before, and felt Hinata grind her groin to his. To his horror, he felt himself react. 'No, I can't do this to Hinata-chan!!' he thought frantically, and he was about to voice it.

Hinata lifted her upper body up and gazed at him through lidded eyes. "No, Naruto-kun," she said, placing a finger on her lips, while shrugging off her jacket. "I've wanted this for a while, and I offer myself to you…"

Naruto was thunderstruck at this, and thought to himself, 'Hinata-chan likes me? Like I like Sakura-chan?' He was about to ask, when Hinata leaned back onto her haunches and reached for the waist of his pants.

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(1) Taichou - Captain

Heh heh, yes I am an evil bastard for ending it here. But worry not, if everyone likes this, I may expand next chapter. Chapter 11 of **Wrath of the Dragon** is in the works, and my be completed before the end of the month. In a few days, I'll have a time-table posted on my Author page on what the UPDATE schedule will be like; actually, I'll have the schedule by the time I put of the second chapter to this one.

Until then, Ja. And review please. And anyone… let me know if you can figure out what's going on with Hinata-chan and Sakura-chan.


	2. Journey through the Waves:  Low Tide

Hey you guys, I'm back. Hopefully, you liked the first chapter enough, and since I left you hanging at the end, you get to see what went on. I just don't want to be booted off for pornographic writing, so it may or may not be long…

You know the rest; I don't own Naruto or any of its characters. I wish I had lots of money, so I could buy the rights from Kishimoto-sama. Sigh… I can dream.

Final thing, I have the schedule posted on my author page. Now, enjoy the reading.

Blah Human dialogue

**Blah** Summon/Demon dialogue

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Chapter 2: Journey through the Waves: Low Tide

Naruto blinked, slowly regaining his bearings from the last few moments. He could register Hinata playing with his hair, but he still couldn't figure out how he ended up in this situation…

_**Flashback…**_

**((WARNING! BELOW IS A LEMONY RECOLLECTION OF THE EVENTS AT THE END OF THE LAST CHAPTER!! IF YOU FIND BECOMING ONE WITH YOUR LOVER OFFENSIVE, THEN YOU NEED TO GET LAID… BIG TIME. ALSO, I'D RATHER NOT GET FLAGGED AND BANNED, SO THIS IS A DISCLAIMER TO PROCEED OF YOUR OWN VOLATION.))**

Hinata had reached for the waist of Naruto's pants before he was able to stop her. Hinata herself didn't know why she was doing this… she just knew that she wanted Naruto, and she wanted him NOW.

On that note, she divested herself of her remaining clothing and tore off his pants.

"Hi-Hinata-chan!!" yelped Naruto, who found himself at the mercy of this hungry kunoichi. Well, at least he now knew why she wore that coat of hers. Were this anyone else, they would have considered themselves the luckiest guy on the planet.

Hinata reddened slightly as she saw Naruto now openly staring at her magnificent form, and who could blame him? She was thirteen, and she had the body of a sixteen-year-old. But that was beside the point; the point was that she would only do this for him and him alone.

With that thought in mind, she felt at peace, and she felt that she was ready. She crawled onto Naruto, and, taking in a deep breath, took his manhood deep within her maidenhood.

Naruto felt as if he had left this world and gone to heaven. This feeling was indescribable, but he was sure that he heard Hinata yelp when he hit a certain barrier within her. Through lidded eyes, he gazed at her, his sky blue ones gazing into her pale lavender ones. "Hi… nata…" he gasped out, before she leaned forward and kissed him.

"Don't speak," she breathed, and leaned back, letting his hardness pierce through her and making her, Hyuuga Hinata, his mate for life. She gasped out in pain, pain that soon evaporated into pleasure, and she began to move back and forth. Each movement caused her to mewl out in delight, and she began to dominate him through their love-making.

This was a new sensation for Naruto, this connection, the pure focus on his other's physical being. It was amazing how much he focused on her gripping him inside of her, how he was now intent on making cry out his name as he ravaged her again and again.

He slowly, but surely began to increase his speed… in and out… in and out. Faster and faster until he felt his lower muscles burn and his breath come out in loud pants. He could see the look of utter bliss upon her face as she closed her eyes and said something over and over again. His mind wasn't working right, his every thought faded and confused, he couldn't remember who he was, or where he was. "No… I'm one… and at peace…" he moaned, and he could hear his Hinata-chan moaning his name… no, screaming his name, screaming for him to go faster, to push harder, and he felt himself obey her commands like the loyal slave he found himself becoming.

Hinata felt a searing warmth in her belly, and felt the thing inside her most sacred of places twitching. But her primal instincts had taken over, and she screamed his name as she felt the first surges of his warmth fill her reservoir.

Naruto felt her clench around him, and he lost himself to this new sensation. He was unaware that his hair spiked, his whisker-marks grew more pronounced, and his canines grew. His eyes opened, darkened from their sky blue to a night's purple with slitted pupils, and he yelled out, "HINATA-CHAN!!" With that, he thrust his hips forward one final time, filling his newfound mate with his seed.

The tidal wave of emotions past them, Hinata fell forward, gasping and panting, and her lavender eyes met Naruto's blue ones. They kissed deeply, and she pressed her body to him. She was his, and he was hers.

Naruto let out a purr, and she giggled. With that, she rose slightly and they became one once more.

_**End Flashback **_**((END OF LEMON))**

Naruto snickered. He and Hinata had made love three more times after that. "Take that, Sasuke-teme," he muttered.

"What was that, Naruto-kun?" asked Hinata, looking down on him.

"Nothing," said Naruto, as Hinata stroked his hair. "It's just that Sasuke-teme said that he wanted to rebuild his clan, or something like that… and I got a lot closer today than he did in the past two years…"

Hinata giggled, and Naruto found himself mesmerized by her jiggling breasts. 'She's just grows fast, is all,' he thought, and stood up, taking Hinata's hand in his. "I want to show you something," he said.

Hinata stood and followed him, the two of them unconcerned about their nudity like the previously pure Adam and Eve. Once inside, he showed her the legacy he inherited.

"My family was called the Tenmuujin, and they were said to be even stronger than the Uchiha and Hyuuga Clans… no offense, Hinata-chan."

"None taken."

Naruto grinned and pointed at the family tree tapestry on the wall. "Here I am at the bottom… My otou-sama was Yondaime…"

Hinata's eyes widen. "Y-Yondaime-sama was your father?"

Naruto grinned sadly. "It gets better… I was born the day he died… after he sealed the Kyuubi away…"

Hinata gazed at him for a moment, and then she hugged him. "It doesn't matter that you have the Kyuubi sealed in you… You are my Naruto-kun, and nothing can change that."

Naruto hugged her back, and then he stiffened. "Wait a minute, you know… !?"

Hinata nodded. "It wasn't too hard to figure out… the whispers, the cold eyes, and the way you're treated on October 10th… your birthday, of all days…"

Naruto then grinned shyly. "Um… about the Kyuubi…" At Hinata's questioning look, he laughed hesitantly. "Well, I found out from Mizuki-teme… and after I came here… I sorta tried to Transfer Seal him into one of the stone foxes…"

At Hinata's alarmed look, he calmed her down. "No no, he's not gonna hurt anyone… I sorta screwed up on the sealing and threw his spirit out of my body, but I kept all his chakra…" Grinning, he said with a final, "You're safe… we're all safe, and he can't do anything about it."

Hinata breathed out a sigh of relief. "That's good to know."

Naruto grinned. "Also, I have a doujutsu because of my clan."

Tilting her head, Hinata asked him to show her. When he showed her the first and second Tomoe, she clapped her hands in glee. "Ne, Naruto-kun, what do they do?"

"Tomoe 1, called Kanchi, has two levels: Level 1 lets my see things better, copy things, and see faraway things, and Level 2 lets me see through things and into any body."

Hinata nodded. "Tomoe 1 sounds like my Byakugan, and Sasuke-san's Sharingan."

Naruto nodded and said, "I have five Tomoe to my eyes, and I've unlocked two Tomoe already… and I'm trying to unlock the third Tomoe right now. There are conditions I have to meet for the Tomoe, and this one involves Kage Bunshin."

Hinata laughed a little and hugged him from the side. "You know…" she began, slanting her eyes, "I've heard that that's a jutsu that not even some Jounin know…"

Naruto laughed and rubbed his head shyly. "Ne, I guess I just have too much chakra…"

Nuzzling his cheek, she continued. "Ne… if the council found out… they'd force you into multiple marriages…"

Naruto stiffened. "N-Nani?"

Hinata clenched his hand in hers as she got to her point: "I'm willing to share… as long as I like her… and you show me…"

This was an information overload. If the council found out about his Kekkai Genkai, they'd turn him into a womanizer made only for breeding. Hinata-chan was possessive, but if she liked the girl he brought her, then she wouldn't do anything. Naruto felt a bit dizzy, and he swayed uneasily. "Ne…" he started, then a glint on the wall caught his eye. Looking over, he saw his alarm clock at 4:55. "Ne, Hinata-chan… I think you should go home… your family might miss you."

Hinata stuck out her tongue. "Mou… I know. But I will see you soon, ne?"

Naruto nodded and gave her a thumbs-up. "If anything comes up with my team, you'll be the first to know, Hinata-chan."

Hinata walked up to him and kissed him, whispering against his lips "Sayonara, Naruto-kun…", then she walked out, swaying her naked hips as she went to get her clothes, grinning as she knew he had his eyes on her.

Naruto blushed as Hinata left. He was sure that she did that on purpose.

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_An indeterminate time later…_

"This is Scarecrow. What is the distance to the target?" asked Kakashi into his microphone.

"This is Fox, the target is 5 meters and closing… I'm ready to move anytime," came Naruto's voice.

"This is Darkfire, I'm ready to move," came Sasuke's voice.

"Cherry Blossom here, I'm ready too," came Sakura's voice.

"OK… Go!" said Kakashi.

In the forest, the three Genin leapt into action as their mission objective came into view. Naruto leapt into action and grabbed the target… a brown cat.

"Ribbon on the left ear… is it Tora?" said Kakashi in Sasuke's ear. "Yeah," he answered, as Naruto lifted Tora onto his shoulder and cradled him there. "Alright, mission complete, return to base," came Kakashi's voice.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Tora found himself being hugged to death by his owner, the Fire Daimyo's wife. 'Nyaa… help me,' he thought in vain.

'Poor cat,' thought Sakura, doing her best to avoid looking at Naruto.

After the woman paid and left, Sandaime looked at his pad and said, "Alright, Team 7, your next missions are babysitting an elder's grandchildren, shopping in the neighboring village, and helping with the potato digging…"

"TORA!!"

"… and getting the Fire Lady's cat," he added, hearing the woman's scream.

"… No."

Iruka, Sandaime, Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi glanced at Naruto. "What?"

Naruto crossed his arms and squinted his eyes. "No, no, no more D-Rank Missions! We can do much better than these crappy-ass D-Ranks!"

The members of Team 7 had their own thoughts on this. 'He's got a point,' thought Sasuke. 'That is true, but that still doesn't make Naruto-kun any less annoying,' thought Sakura. 'I'm surprised he didn't bring this up last time,' thought Kakashi.

"Baka, you're still just a rookie!!" yelled Iruka, standing up. "Everyone starts off with the little missions and work their way up!"

"We've done 25 D-Rank Mission," said Naruto, glaring through one eye. "I'm pretty sure that's enough for 2 C-Ranks. I mean, you had to have chased that cat a couple of times, too…"

Thinking back, Iruka and Sandaime paled at that statement. Animals aside, they had to do the exact same thing. Sandaime casually shoved the D-Rank Mission scroll he had into a bin, and lifted up a different one. "Oh look, a C-Rank Mission for you," he said nonchalantly. "This one call's for a certain individual's protection."

"Cool!" said Naruto, his teammates and sensei stunned. "Who is it? A princess? A daimyo?"

As if on cue, the door opened, and in came an elderly man with a bottle of sake. A somewhat empty bottle of sake. "What the…? They're just a bunch of kids!" he said, taking a swig from his bottle. While Naruto covered his nose, he continued on. "They look like they're gonna wet themselves… especially the idiotic blonde!"

Kakashi grabbed Naruto as said blonde brandished several kunai, and swore to kill the man. "Naruto, it defeats the purpose if you kill the client…"

The elder ignored Naruto and said, "I'm the super special awesome expert bridge builder Tazuna, and I expect you to provide me with ultra special protection until I get back to my home country and complete the bridge."

xxxxxxxxxxx

Naruto exited his compound with just his scroll on his back. He walked down to the village gates, when he saw a familiar head of hair. "Ora, Hinata-chan!" he yelled, waving.

Hinata was with her team when she heard Naruto's voice. She turned around and smiled at the sight of her mate. She went to him and hugged him, and he hugged her back, saying, "Me and the team have a C-Rank Mission… we gotta escort this old drunk to his home country."

Hinata furrowed her brow and asked, "How long will it be?"

"A couple of weeks, at most," said Naruto grinning.

Kiba, who had been listening, gave of a feral grin. When Hinata had left the training grounds, he could smell that she was in heat. He was going to offer to escort her home when she scurried off when they were dismissed. When she appeared the next morning to report, he could smell that she was still in heat, but he could smell an unknown scent on her. Now he knew it was Naruto, and the way he and Hinata acted, they had just been around each other. 'Now, I've got about two weeks to make Hinata my mate,' he thought.

In the meantime, Naruto had given Hinata another hug and wished her well. He then waved goodbye and left. Moments later, he and his team, along with Tazuna, were outside the village gates. "Yatta!!" shouted Naruto. "Let's go!"

"Where's your bag, dumbass?" asked Sasuke, and Naruto reached into his pouch and pulled out a storage scroll. "Who needs a bag when you have these?''

"Are you sure I'm safe with you guys?" said a more sober Tazuna to Kakashi, who said, "Don't worry, I'm a Jounin…"

"Don't disrespect us!" yelled Naruto, pointing at Tazuna as they started walking. "Especially me! One day, I'll become Hokage! Remember this name: Uzumaki Naruto!"

"You become Hokage?" said Tazuna, taking another swig from his bottle. "That'll be the day…"

"Silence!! I'll do whatever it takes to be Hokage, and then you'll acknowledge me!"

"No I won't…"

xxxxxxxxxxx

Later found the five walking down a dirt road. Sakura asked Tazuna if they had shinobi in Nami no Kuni (Wave Country), Tazuna's country of origin. "No, Sakura," said Kakashi. "But other countries do… the customs are a bit different, thought."

"There are the five main countries: Hi no Kuni (Fire Country), our native country, then there's Mizu no Kuni (Water Country), Rai no Kuni (Lightening Country), Kaze no Kuni (Wind Country), and Tsuchi no Kuni (Earth Country). They hold much of the power on our continent, and each have their own respective villages. The main villages are Konoha in Hi no Kuni, Suna (Sand) in Kaze no Kuni, Kiri (Mist) in Mizu no Kuni, Kumo (Cloud) in Rai no Kuni, and Iwa (Stone) in Tsuchi no Kuni. And respectively are the five strongest shinobi in each… Hokage, Kazekage, Raikage, Mizukage, and Tsuchikage."

"But don't worry," said Kakashi, patting himself on the back. "Since we're doing a C-Rank Mission, it's unlikely we'll run into foreign shinobi. Maybe a couple of bandits, but that's it."

The Genin nodded and the five kept walking, past a puddle of water. Naruto rubbed his head, thinking about how hot it was, when something hit him. This hot, and a puddle was on the ground, and it hadn't rained for a while…

Sasuke noticed that Naruto had stopped and smirked. "Lose your nerve, dobe?"

Grinning, Naruto said, "Nope… just wondering what a puddle's doing here in the middle of a hot summer day…"

Before anyone could react, the puddle had turned into two identical shinobi; both had oxygen masks, clawed gauntlets that were connected by a spiked chain, and Kirigakure (Hidden Mist) hitai-ate that were horned. Both sprung into action and wrapped the chain around Kakashi and Naruto. "Two little piggies…" said the one with the two horns on his hitai-ate, and the two pulled on the chain, shredding Naruto and Kakashi.

"Naruto-kun!! Kakashi-sensei!!" screamed Sakura as the remains of the two fell to the ground. And she heard a voice in her ear whisper, "Three little piggies…"

Sasuke sprung into action. He jumped into the air and threw a shuriken which pinned the chain to a nearby tree. The two Kiri-nin occupied with their chain, he kicked them both in the face.

They let the chain loose from their gauntlets, and separated; the double-horned one going after Sasuke, and the single-horned one went at Sakura and Tazuna. Sakura pulled out a kunai and said, "Get behind me!!" while standing in front of Tazuna.

The two Kiri-nin were stopped in their tracks by Kakashi and Naruto; Kakashi clothes-lined the single-horned nin, while Naruto kicked the double-horned one in the face.

'Bah, show-off,' thought Sasuke, glaring at the grinning Naruto who was still kicking the unconscious Kiri-nin, while Sakura rejoiced at the sight of her Naruto-kun… wait, her Naruto-kun? She liked Sasuke…

Sakura shook her head and saw the chopped up logs, and thought, 'Kawarimi no Jutsu…'

'Few, we're saved,' thought Tazuna, but when he saw the look on Naruto's face, he nearly wet himself. 'I'm screwed.'

"Nice job, Sasuke," said Kakashi, who threw down the nin he had over his shoulder.

"You've got some explaining to do, Old Man," said Naruto, walking up to Tazuna.

"Naruto-kun!!" gasped Sakura, pointing at his hand. "You're bleeding!!"

Naruto looked down at his hand. Sure enough, two deep cuts were there, and the skin around them was turning purple. "Would you look at that?" he said. It must've happened when he did the Kawarimi.

"You better take care of that," said Kakashi. "Their claws were soaked in poison, so you'd…" He trailed off as Naruto whipped out a kunai and stabbed his hand, letting loose a gout of blood. Naruto winced at the pain, and he said to the panicking Sakura, "This is nothing, believe it or not…" Taking out the kunai and letting his healing factor kick in, he turned back to Tazuna. "Well? Start explaining, Old Man."

Sasuke snorted and looked at the tied-up Kiri-nin. "Who are they?"

"The Onikyoudai… the Demon Brothers… Twin Kiri-nin known for their tenacity in battle. And their Chuunin, too…" said Kakashi, turning to Tazuna. "I could've killed them when they showed up, but I needed to find out what they were doing here."

Tazuna stiffened. "Well?" he asked as innocently as he could.

"They were after you," said Kakashi, narrowing his visible eye. "Our mission was just to protect you from bandits. Since they showed up, this has been upgraded to a B-Rank Mission, at the very least… Now, I'm sure you had a reason, but it causes problems when the missions are lied about. Technically, we're not even supposed to continue on this mission…"

xxxxxxxxxxx

Elsewhere, a short fat man with black glasses stood yelling at a figure in the shadows. "I can't believe you failed! I paid you guys a lot of money because I heard that you were powerful Nuke-nin!!"

The shadowy figure moved, and the fat man found a giant sword pointed at him. "Quit your bitchin'… I'll go myself, and with Kubikiri Houcho… I'll kill them all."

The fat man was somewhat reassured, but he still felt the need to ask, "Are you sure?"

The shadowy man chuckled. "Who the hell do you think I am? There's a reason I'm called the Demon of the Hidden Mist."

xxxxxxxxxxx

"Kakashi…" said Tazuna, "I have a confession to make." When Kakashi motioned for him to continue, Tazuna said, "You're right, this is most likely out of your duties. It turns out that a very dangerous man has a contract out on me."

"Who?"

"You've heard of him at least once… Gatou, the shipping magnate."

This sparked Kakashi's interests. "Gatou of the Gatou Company? He's said to be one of the few people in the world to be extremely rich."

"Yeah," said Tazuna, closing his eyes. "Officially, he runs the company… but that's just a cover. He uses shinobi and his cronies to sell drugs and other illegal items, and to take over businesses and countries. Not a very nice man."

"About a year ago, Nami no Kuni caught his eye. Using lots of money and violence, he took over the shipping industry. He'd have a complete monopoly on the country's business, if it weren't for the bridge I'm building…"

Sakura finished his thought. "So he figures that if he kills you, the bridge won't be completed, and he'll control Nami no Kuni."

Looking back at the Demon Brothers, Sasuke said "So… those two were hired by Gatou…"

Kakashi nodded. "That clears up a few things… but why did you lie about the possibility of shinobi after you?"

"Nami no Kuni is in a depressing state right now… we're poor, so poor that even the Daimyo has no money. But to that point, we didn't have enough money to pay for B-Rank Mission."

"…"

Tazuna decided to play the sympathy card at this point. "If you quit the mission, I'd understand. But my grandson would only cry for weeks on end!" he said, chuckling. "And my daughter would live a sad life hating all Konoha shinobi forever, but it would be your fault!"

"Goodbye," said Naruto walking down the road.

"Where are you going Naruto-ku…?" Sakura stopped it before it got out, but Kakashi noticed. He decided that he'd get her about it later.

"To Nami. We accepted the mission, so I'm going to at least see it through."

Kakashi nodded. "Well Tazuna, it looks like we keep going."

xxxxxxxxxxx

Hours later found the five taking a boat ride down a river. "What thick mist," said Sakura. "I can barely see."

"We should be able to see the bridge soon," said the boat rower. "Nami no Kuni is at the base of the bridge."

As the mist barely lifted, Naruto could see the bridge up close. "That's the bridge? It's huge."

Moments later, the rower said "We'll be to Nami soon. We've avoided detection so far, but it'll be definitely safer to take to vegetation route. It'll be difficult to spot us, then."

Eventually, they landed on the far shore. After thanking the rower and seeing him off, the five resumed their journey. As they continued down the path, Naruto's newly sharpened ears caught the sound of pattering feet, and he slowed his walking.

"Naruto?" asked Kakashi.

"There's an animal in the bushes… something small, like a rat, or a rabbit…" Then he caught the sound of a heavy object spinning in the air.

Kakashi heard it, too. "Everyone down!!" he shouted, and as they dropped to the ground, a freakishly huge sword came out of nowhere and embedded itself in a tree. With a swish, a man appeared on the hilt. He was wearing matching BDU arm warmers and leg warmers, striped baggy pants, bandages over his mouth and neck, and a slanted Hidden Mist hitai-ate.

'He's looking at us,' thought Sakura, and she heard Kakashi chuckle.

"Well well, if it isn't the Kirigakure Nuke-nin Momochi Zabuza." With that, he put his hand up to his slanted hitai-ate.

Zabuza spoke at last. "It's a pleasure… Sharingan no Kakashi. Sorry, but… the old geezer is mine…"

Sasuke was shocked that Kakashi was referred to "Sharingan no Kakashi", but he heard Kakashi say to protect Tazuna. Then he saw what was under the hitai-ate that Kakashi had slanted: A scarred eye that held the Sharingan.

"You honor me," said Zabuza. "I've always wanted to take on one with the Sharingan… that eye that can read and defeat the three styles… and copy any jutsu the user sees. When I was part of Kirigakure's Assassin Squad, you were in the Bingo Book. The man who had copied over a thousand jutsu… Kopi-nin Kakashi."

'This makes no sense,' thought Sasuke, glancing at Kakashi. 'The Sharingan is an Uchiha-only trait… Could he be…?'

"Enough talk," said Zabuza, crouching. "I have to kill the old geezer… but it seems that I have to kill you first, Kakashi." With that, he pulled his sword from the tree and leapt away.

Naruto took this opportunity to turn on his own eyes, and activated Kanchi Level 1. He saw Zabuza on top of the water, his left hand raised over his head in half-Ram, and his right at chest level in half-Ram. He could see the motions that Zabuza did, and knew that he had successfully mimicked his first jutsu. 'I better copy this down and work on it later…'

"Ninpou: Kirigakure no Jutsu (1)…" and Zabuza faded into the mist.

'Damn,' said Kakashi. 'He'll come after me first. As a former Kiri-nin… Zabuza is exceptionally skilled in Silent Killing.' "You guys… be on your guard. Zabuza could kill you like a small dog… you wouldn't notice until you're looking at your own mutilated body… and I can't use the Sharingan as well as I should…"

"The mist is get thicker!" yelled Naruto. And then… they heard Zabuza's warped voice.

"Liver… lungs… spine… clavical vein… neck vein… brain… kidneys… heart… Eight choices… Now which should I attack?" Then the group felt it. It was like an enormous weight was pressing down on them, like walking into a den of ravenous lions.

Sasuke, who had shown no emotion fighting the Demon Brothers, now visibly shivered. 'What an incredible Ki. It's like… I'll be killed if I make a wrong move. This is enough to drive a person insane… Is this… the intensity of a Jounin? I can't take it… I'd almost rather die and get it over with…' He was drawn out of his fear by Kakashi's voice.

"Sasuke… don't worry… I'll protect you guys even if it kills me." Now both his eyes smiling, he said, "I don't let… my comrades die." 'Not after you… Obito…'

"We'll see about that," came Zabuza's voice, and he appeared in front of Tazuna and behind Sakura and Sasuke. Kakashi materialized behind the Kiri-nin and stabbed him in the back with a kunai.

The sound of dripping water reached their ears, and Zabuza dissolved into a puddle of water. He reappeared behind Kakashi and swung his sword, cutting Kakashi in two at the waist. Kakashi dissolved into water as well, which caught Zabuza by surprise. 'Mizu Bunshin… to think that he copied it in this mist…!?'

"Don't move!" said Kakashi, holding a kunai at Zabuza's neck. "It's all over!"

Zabuza chuckled. "Heh heh… it's over, you say? You just don't get it, do you? You can't beat me with your Monkey-see-Monkey-do act. But you still amaze me… When you rabbled on about protecting your comrades… you had already copied my Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu. You had your clone say those words to attract my attention while you hid in the mist. Nice plan… but…"

"I'm not that easy…" said Zabuza from behind Kakashi, while the one in front of him dissolved into water. He swiped with his overly large sword, and Kakashi ducked to avoid the weapon which embedded itself in the ground. Zabuza pivoted on the hilt to kick Kakashi in the chest, and sent the gray-haired Jounin flying. 'Now!!' he thought, but he saw the small deadly objects around his feet. 'Makibishi (Throwing Spikes)…'

Kakashi, who had landed in the water at this point, felt himself heavily water-logged. "Damn," he cursed, and Zabuza appeared behind him. "Fool," said the bandaged Kiri-nin, and performing a set of seals, he imprisoned Kakashi in a ball of water. 'Double damn,' thought Kakashi, as Zabuza began to gloat.

"You may have been using the water to escape, or you may not have, but at any rate, it was foolish. Now you're trapped in my inescapable special prison. It makes things tougher if you can move you know…" Putting his left hand into half-Ram, Zabuza glared at the Genin and Tazuna. "I'll save you for later… first, the little ones and the old geezer…"

In front of said targets, another Zabuza rose out of the water. "Heh heh… wearing hitai-ate and acting like real shinobi… but you know what? A real shinobi is someone who has spent their life cheating death. Basically, once you guys are good enough to be listed in my book… thing I'll call you real shinobi. But now…" the second Zabuza disappeared, and Naruto found himself kicked in the face, and his hitai-ate was torn from him.

"Naruto-kun!" yelled Sakura, as the most recent object of her thoughts was sent flying backwards.

"Just a brat," muttered Zabuza, while Kakashi decided to abandon all pretense and save his team. "Run!!" he yelled, ignoring any laws of physics. "Take Tazuna-san and run! You have no chance of beating him!! As long as he's got me, he won't move. And the Mizu Bunshin can't move far from the original. Never mind me, just get out of here!"

"No," said Naruto, rising to his feet. Zabuza was really starting to annoy him. "I've had my share of cheating death… and I'm not running away!" With that, he charged at Zabuza, ignoring Sakura and Kakashi's cries for him to stop.

"Idiot," said Zabuza, and kicked him backwards again. Then he noticed that Naruto had gotten back his hitai-ate.

"Hey… you eyebrow-less BSDM junkie… put this in your book…" Tying his hitai-ate to his forehead, he grinned. "The one who will become Hokage… is the Konoha-nin… Uzumaki Naruto!! Now let's get wild…"

Sasuke and Sakura were amazed by this new Naruto, but Zabuza was not impressed. "You've got guts, kid… maybe I'll show them to you."

"Run you idiot!!" shouted Kakashi. "This was already over when I got caught! You're supposed to protect Tazuna-san!! Did you forget that!?"

"You also said not to abandon your comrades," retorted Naruto with a smirk. "You ready, Sasuke?"

"Yeah," said Sasuke with a smirk.

For some reason, Zabuza began to laugh. "Still playing shinobi, are you? You guys don't know anything. When I was your age… These hand were already red with spilt blood," he said, holding up his free hand. When he heard Kakashi mutter something, he chuckled. "So you have heard of it…"

"Long ago, the Hidden Mist Village was known as the Bloody Mist… because of the Graduation Exam."

"What makes it different than ours?" yelled Naruto to Zabuza.

Zabuza chuckled and said, "A battle royale… to the death." At their shocked looks, he added, "Friends who have trained and eaten at the same table with each other are forced to battle… until one of them loses their life."

"Ten years ago," said Kakashi, earning a glare from Zabuza, "That exam was forced to change. This happened because the previous year… a lone boy, who wasn't even a Genin… massacred the entire graduating class. That was the Demon of the Mist… Momochi Zabuza…"

Zabuza chuckled. "You see, you have no chance against me…" he trailed of and numerous Naruto's came into existence. "Kage Bunshin," he mused. "A lot of them…"

As the Naruto clones piled onto Zabuza, the real Naruto reached into his pouch and opened a storage scroll. In a puff of smoke, the item within came out, and Naruto threw it at Sasuke, yelling for him to catch it.

Sasuke caught it, and the item revealed itself to be… "Fuuhma Shuriken… Shadow Windmill!!" He tossed it at Zabuza, who said that it wouldn't work against him. But it swerved around the clone and headed toward the real one.

"You're aiming at the real me… but that's not enough!!" he yelled, catching it. He blanched when a second one appeared out of nowhere. 'A second one in the shadow!?' he thought, jumping over it. 'Kage Shuriken no Jutsu!'

'A second one in the blind spot?' thought Sakura, and her eyes widened as she watched Zabuza jump over it. 'He dodged it!!'

Zabuza chuckled, but he heard a telltale "poof" behind him. Turning his head, he saw Naruto in place of the shuriken. Naruto threw a kunai at Zabuza, but Zabuza saw that it was way off-target. Then he saw the telltale orange tag connect to the hilt. "Mother…!!"

"Katsu!!" yelled Naruto, putting his hands into the Ram Seal, and the Bakuretsu Fuuda (Exploding Tag) exploded next to Zabuza's face. The force of the explosion threw Zabuza backwards, and freed Kakashi from his watery prison.

Zabuza shook his head to clear it. That little bastard had nearly burned him with that gamble!! "Damn brat!!" he yelled and rushed Naruto, who had fallen into the water. Naruto glared at him, and his shimmering orange eyes caused Zabuza to hesitate. 'Those eyes…!!'

That hesitation was enough for Kakashi to appear out of nowhere and block the sword with the metal on his gloves. As Sakura cheered on Kakashi's return, Kakashi congratulated Naruto and Sasuke for their teamwork. "Nice plan, Naruto… you used Kage Bunshin as a diversion while you transformed into the second Fuuhma Shuriken. Then you had Sasuke throw both, and transform when Zabuza thought you missed. But was that Exploding Tag really necessary?"

"Yeah, how else would you have gotten out?"

'Little bastard,' thought Zabuza, while outwardly saying, "Heh, you distracted me and I slipped up…"

Kakashi wasn't about to let Zabuza go that easily. "Wrongo… You were forced to release it. And just so you'll know, I don't fall for the same Jutsu twice."

Naruto climbed out of the water and turned around just in time to see Zabuza and Kakashi leap apart on the water. When he saw their hands move, he knew that he might want to get down what they were about to do. He quickly muttered, "Tomoe no Reinogan: Kanchi San!" Now he was able to zoom in on their hands and he prepared an empty scroll.

Kakashi and Zabuza's hand flashed through 43 seals in a matter of seconds, and the final seal the two Jounin did was the Bird Seal (44 seals total… yes, I counted), and the two of them yelled, "Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu (2)!" On either side, a dragon made of water rose up, and circled each other before Kakashi's dragon wrapped its jaws around the neck of Zabuza's dragon, causing both dragons to collapse in a torrent of water.

The tidal wave washed up to shore, and the four spectators shielded themselves as best they could. 'They went through at many seals in a matter of seconds! And Kakashi copied them all perfectly!' Through the corner of his eye he saw Naruto, and casting a glance over, he saw Naruto put away the scroll he had. Glaring, he looked at Naruto's eyes and saw that they were slightly glowing yellow. 'Impossible… that dobe saw them!? He has a Doujutsu?!?'

In the meantime, the water had settled to reveal Kakashi with a kunai versus Zabuza and his sword… er, cleaver. 'Strange,' thought Zabuza. 'What's going on?' Leaping away, he prepared to do a seal, when he saw Kakashi make the same motion. On that note, he came to a horrible realization. 'My movements… he's completely…'

"… reading them," finished Kakashi.

'What!?' thought Zabuza. 'Did he read my mind?' Glaring hatefully at Kakashi's sole Sharingan, he tried to do another seal, only to have Kakashi mimic it. 'Damn!' he cursed in his head. 'That freaky eye is…'

"… really pissing me off, right?" said Kakashi calmly.

Zabuza was started to get angry, but he tried to keep a clear head. "Heh… all you're doing is copying me. You can't beat me you monkey bastard!!" he yelled, and Kakashi yelled it out at the exact same time. That was the breaking point, and abandoning all pretense, Zabuza endeavored to finish his jutsu. "Damn you!!" he yelled, flashing through seals and seeing Kakashi do the same. "I'll teach you to copy me!! I'll make it so you can never use that eye and mouth of yours ever again!!" But he stiffened. 'Wha… what in…?'

For behind him, he saw an afterimage of… himself. 'That's me!' he thought, but this proved to be a critical mistake. Kakashi finished the order of seals, and ended in the Ox Seal. "Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu!!" he yelled, and Zabuza found himself mesmerized by the spinning Tomoe of the Sharingan.

An exploding whirlwind of water charged at Zabuza and caught him, flinging him into the trees. As Zabuza fell out of the tree to his knees, he saw Kakashi brandish a kunai. "… How?" he asked. "Can you see the future?" "Yeah," said Kakashi, "and your future is death."

Kakashi never got it. A pair of senbon flew out of nowhere and embedded themselves in Zabuza's neck. The Nuke-nin let out a "gurk", and fell on his side, lying still. Kakashi looked up to see a figure with a kimono and a white mask with the Hidden Mist emblem on the forehead. "You're right," came a feminine voice. "He's dead."

Kakashi went over to Zabuza's still form, and checked his pulse. Nothing. 'He's really dead…' he thought. 'Kill-stealing bastard…'

"Arigatou gozaimasu," said the masked nin, bowing his/her head. "I've been hunting Zabuza for a while…"

"That mask…" said Kakashi. "You're a Kirigakure Hunter-nin."

"You are correct," said the Hunter-nin. At Naruto's confused look, the Hunter-nin explained. "It is my sworn duty to hunt and execute nuke-nin. I am a member of Kirigakure's Hunter-nin squad."

Naruto and Sasuke came to the realization that the Hunter-nin was not much older than they were, and Naruto was about to voice his complaints. Kakashi came out of nowhere and said, "Calm down. In this world, there are things you must understand… like people younger than you being stronger."

Begrudging, Naruto accepted Kakashi's words, and vaguely noted that the Hunter-nin smelled female. Said Hunter-nin disappeared and reappeared next to Zabuza. "Your battle is over," she said, lifting Zabuza onto her shoulder. "Now I must dispose of this body, since it contains certain secrets. Farewell!" With that and her right hand half-Ram, the Hunter-nin disappeared in a swirl of leaves and mist.

Kakashi pulled his hitai-ate over his left eye, covering the Sharingan. "Now, let's get Tazuna-san home."

Tazuna laughed heartily. "You guys rock! Come to my house and relax for a while!"

'Speaking of relaxing…' thought Kakashi, as he fell to the ground, amidst cries of "Kakashi-sensei!!" 'Looks like I used too much chakra,' he thought. 'Now I can't move…'

xxxxxxxxxxx

"Kakashi-san, are you alright?" asked Tsunami, Tazuna's 29-year-old daughter. The group was now resting at Tazuna's house.

"Yeah," he said from his spot on the futon on the ground. "I just can't move for about a week…"

"I guess the Sharingan puts too much stress on your body, sensei," said Sakura kneeling beside him.

"Well," said Tazuna grinning, "We defeated that strong of a shinobi this time! We should be safe for a while."

"By the way," asked Sakura, rubbing her chin, "who was the kid with the mask?"

"That was a Hunter-nin," said Kakashi, looking at the ceiling. "Specifically, that was a member of Kirigakure's Special Hunter-nin team, also called Body Erasers. Basically, a Hunter-nin's job is to completely dispose of a body and leave no traces."

"A shinobi's body contains the secrets of a Hidden Village… Ninjutsu, different chakra types, herbs, those kinds of things. For example, if I were killed in battle, the secrets of the Sharingan could be revealed. If you're not careful, there's the danger that the enemy could steal your jutsu… A shinobi's body can reveal things, so the job of Hunter-nin is to protect the villages' secrets, and that means complete annihilation of the body. No sound, no smell… that's a fighting ninja's end."

"So Zabuza was chopped up and burned?" said Sakura, grimacing. "Scary…"

"Speaking of secrets…" said Sasuke, glaring at Naruto, "What's up with those eyes of yours, dobe?"

Naruto tried to play dumb. "What eyes?"

"You can't fool me," growled Sasuke, narrowing his eyes. "I saw you watching Kakashi and Zabuza's fight, and you were writing something while your eyes were glowing. That means that you have a doujutsu that can copy things, and that's what you were doing… right!?"

Naruto cursed himself for his ignorance. He should have been paying more attention.

Kakashi chuckled. "Secret doujutsu, huh?"

Naruto bowed his head, and when he lifted it, he had activated Kanchi. "This was supposed to remain a secret," he growled to Sasuke.

Sakura found herself mesmerized by Naruto's orange pools. She felt her heart-beat race, and she covered her blushing face. "Ano, what do they do, Naruto-kun?" she asked.

Naruto looked at her squinting. 'She's never called me Naruto-kun before, and now she's got that honey smell like Hinata-chan…' "Well, I can see details on things, see far away, and see through things," he said. No need for them to know anymore.

Kakashi nodded. "So… a combination of the Byakugan and the Sharingan…"

"Yeah," said Naruto nodding and pulling his scroll beside him. "I can't see chakra though, and the clan rules state that no one outside of family knows about our eyes…" 'Heh, smooth…' he thought. 'No need to tell them about the other Tomoe…'

"So… a cheap imitation of the Sharingan," said Sasuke with a smirk. "That doesn't change a thing. You're still a dobe to me."

"At least I activated my eyes," said Naruto, smirking right back.

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Elsewhere, the Hunter-nin dropped Zabuza to the ground and pulled out a pouch with medical tools. Pulling out a pair of scissors, she moved them to Zabuza's face. "Okay," she said. "First I'll cut the mouth cloth, and drain a little blood, and…"

"That won't be necessary," said the revitalized Zabuza, grabbing the hand with the scissors and uncovering his mouth.

"Oh," she said. "You're alive." Cursing, Zabuza pulled the senbon from his neck. "You shouldn't do that," said the Hunter-nin. "You could die pulling them out like that." After Zabuza said to take off the mask, she reached up and pulled it off, revealing a pretty face framed by black hair and a Kirigakure hitai-ate. "It reminds me of the old days… and it was useful for the act. If I hadn't showed up, you would have died."

"If you were going to temporarily kill me," retorted Zabuza, massaging the entry wounds, "you could hit me somewhere else. It didn't have to be my neck. You have the finesse of a butcher."

Haku smiled at the insult. "I know… I just didn't want to scar your body, and the neck doesn't have much muscle, so it's easier to hit the pressure point there. You shouldn't move for about a week… but you'll be able to move soon."

Zabuza stared at her, then chuckled. "You're so pure and clever… that's what I like about you, Haku."

Haku smiled again. "That's because I'm just a kid… look, the mist is clearing. Will you be all right next time?"

"Next time, I will defeat the Sharingan…"

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Kakashi's eye snapped open, and he shot up and cursed loudly. "DAMN!!"

While Sakura and Naruto recovered from their subsequent heart attacks, Tsunami wagged a finger at the Jounin. "Kakashi-san, language!"

"Gomen, Tsunami-san," said Kakashi, rubbing his masked face. "I just realized something. It shames me to know it took this long, though…"

"What, sensei?" asked Naruto as he, Sakura, and Sasuke crowded around him.

"Hunter-nin usually dispose of the body on the spot, and they just take the target's head as proof of a successful kill. Finally, they rarely use senbon to kill."

"He took the body with him, and those needles…" muttered Sasuke, before his eyes widened. "No way…"

"Yeah…" said Kakashi. At Tazuna's confused look, he said, "More than likely, Momochi Zabuza is still alive."

The silence was so foreboding that a pin dropping would've sounded like a cannon shot. Finally, Naruto yelled out, "B-but you said he was dead! You checked him yourself!!"

"Yeah, I did," said Kakashi, thinking back. "But more than likely, that was a state of temporary death. Senbon have low killing rate, unless they're aimed at a vital organ. Doctors use senbon in acupuncture, so it'd be an easy thing for a Hunter-nin to put someone in a state of temporary death, since they know human physiology very well."

"That brings me to the second point…" he said, bowing his head. "That Hunter-nin used senbon to kill him, and then carried him off… That means that that Hunter-nin was Zabuza's ally."

His head bowed, Kakashi fell into deep thought. "With Zabuza still alive, there's still no guarantee that Gatou hired any more shinobi…"

"What do you want us to do, sensei?" asked Sakura.

"You guys are gonna receive training," he said. "Don't look at me like that," he said, catching the looks they were giving him. "You guys saved me from someone who gave me a hard time, and that's saying something. But obviously, this is just until I get better." Stretching, Kakashi finished with, "We should have about a week, because when someone is brought back from the temporary death, they can't move for a while until their body returns to normal."

"Nice," said Naruto. "This sounds like fun."

"No it's not…" came a little voice.

"Holy shit!!" gasped Naruto, but low enough so Tsunami couldn't hear him. Tazuna called the little boy who appeared out of nowhere Inari and held open his arms for a hug. Inari ran to him, saying "Grandpa!" "These are the people who saved your grandpa," said Tazuna, pointing at the three Genin.

"Mommy, they're all gonna die…" said Inari, pointing at the Genin.

"Little punk," growled Naruto, leaping to his feet. When Inari said that they would definitely lose to Gatou, Naruto had to restrained by Sakura, who didn't redden and asked him why he was getting mad at a little kid.

"Listen up, Inari!" said Naruto, pointing. "I'm a hero who become Hokage someday! That Gatou's got nothing on me!!"

Inari snorted and said, "Are you an idiot? Heroes don't exist! If you don't want to die, then leave while you still can…" With that, Inari turned on his heel and went to his room.

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"Okay, now we start training," said Kakashi. He had taken the Genin to a forest and was now using crutches to get around. "I assume you all know what chakra is, right?" When the three Genin nodded, Kakashi sighed in relief. "I'm gonna teach you how to harness it correctly."

"But we can already use jutsu," said Sasuke.

"Nope!" said Kakashi, looking up a tree. "You guys aren't using it correctly." At their confused looks, he continued. "To release chakra means to harness spiritual and physical energy in your body and mix them within you. Based on what jutsu you use, the type and amount of chakra that is released will be different. But you guys aren't using your chakra effectively. Even if you're able to release a high amount of chakra, it isn't worth spit if you can't control it properly… any jutsu you use will be weakened or won't work at all. So basically, you'll be screwed in a fight because of wasting energy."

"So what do you want us to do?" asked Naruto.

"You guys are gonna learn how to control your chakra by climbing trees."

"How will tree-climbing help us?" asked Sakura.

Kakashi's eye smiled. "You'll be doing it without using your hands."

(In this order: Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura)

"…!"

"Sweet!"

"How are we going to do that?"

Putting his hands in the Ram Seal, Kakashi turned to his tree and walked straight up it, crutches and all. "You gather chakra in the soles of your feet and climb. The main purpose of this exercise is to teach you Chakra Control. Bringing out the right amount to the right area… this is essential when using jutsu. Hell, even a skilled ninja has trouble with this exercise. The amount of chakra needed for tree-climbing is small, but it must be exact. They say that the soles of the feet are extremely difficult to gather chakra at. So basically, if you master this, then you can master any jutsu… in theory, that is."

"The second purpose is to give you stamina needed for Chakra Control. Depending on the jutsu, controlling your chakra can be difficult as well. And a shinobi will usually be doing this while constantly moving… usually in battle. These types of situations can be very stressful on you and your Chakra Control. That's why you'll be climbing trees."

"Well," he said, pulling out three kunai. "Me standing here talking isn't going to do anything. This is something you have to do yourself." With that, he threw the kunai at the three, and the kunai landed at their feet. "Use those kunai to mark how far you get up the tree, then try to get higher than you did. You guys won't be able to do it well at first, so try running to gain momentum."

The three nodded and ran at their respective trees. Naruto, trying to use as little chakra as he could due to his massive stores, ended up taking three steps up the tree before falling. Sasuke, on the other hand, used too much chakra and made four steps up the tree before the wood underfoot splintered and he was forced to vault off. 'Damn,' he thought, glaring at his mark. 'Too much chakra, and the wood cracks… too little, and you won't get far…'

Sakura had made it to the top of her tree and shouted down, "This is pretty easy!"

"Looks like Sakura's the best at Chakra Control," said Kakashi, while Naruto shouted up how well Sakura did. "I guess Sakura's closer to being Hokage than a certain someone," he said, glancing at Naruto. Offhandedly, he added, "Looks like the Uchiha clan is worth much, either…" This rose both Naruto and Sasuke's ire.

Off to the side, Inari stood watching. 'Watching these retards train is sorta funny… they don't know that it's a waste of time…'

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Meanwhile, thousands of mile away… er, sorry. What was meant: In a secluded yet giant tree-house, Haku kept a steady vigil over a bed-ridden Zabuza. Then she heard footsteps, and winced slightly. It was him again…

"Ha, so even you came back defeated," said Gatou, accompanied by his samurai (not looking a bit like any either) bodyguards, Zouri (emo) and Waraji (eyepatch). "Looks like Kiri-nin suck major ass. And you call yourself a demon? You make me laugh…"

Zabuza glared at the fat man, and Gatou's bodyguards put their hands to the hilts of their swords. "Hold on a second," said Gatou, stepping forward. Coming up to Zabuza, he reached for the nuke-nin's bandaged mouth, saying, "There's no need to stay silent…"

With the reflexes of a high-strung cat, Haku grabbed Gatou's outstretched arm and crushed the bones. "Don't you dare touch Zabuza-sama with your filthy hands!" she hissed.

"Noo!!" cried Gatou. "My best hand!!" Waraji and Zouri reached for their swords, but Haku had disarmed them and held their own weapons at their throats. "Get out… now. Before I become even more angry than I am now," she hissed, and her eyes turned as cold as ice.

Sweating, the trio left. "You get one more chance!" yelled Gatou, cradling his broken arm as he and his cronies left. "If you fail, you're outta here! Remember that!!"

When they were gone, Zabuza lifted his sheets to reveal a kunai. "You didn't have to do that, you know?"

"I know," Haku replied. "But it's too early to kill Gatou… It'll draw attention to us, and then _they_ will be after us again." Smiling, she added, "We must bide our time."

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Sakura sat panting at the base of her tree. Kakashi had left after telling them to do their best, so the three Genin were alone in the clearing. 'I'm worn out… those two are stamina monsters…' she thought, looking over at Naruto and Sasuke. 'They really look like they're improving… Naruto-kun even more so…' She blushed again. She didn't like Naruto, she liked Sasuke.

Naruto went over to Sakura and knelt in front of her, ignoring the honey smell he could tell was now coming from her. "Do you think you could help me out, Sakura-chan?" he asked.

"S-sure," she said, embarrassed by his close proximity. "Chakra is mainly spiritual energy, so you can't get too excited. To gather Chakra to your feet, just relax and focus on the tree."

Naruto grinned and nodded, and gave her a hug. "Arigatou gozaimasu," he said, then scurried but to his tree. Sakura sat there, her heart racing. 'He touched me,' she thought frantically. 'He touched me!'

As Sasuke watched Naruto finally reach the top of his tree after three tries, he glared hatefully at his blonde teammate. He had considered asking Sakura for help, but he remembered how his did the same with his father and his older brother, and look what happened there. So he was determined to do it on his own.

Sakura saw him struggling with his efforts, so she thought that she should help him out. 'After all, if Naruto-ku… Naruto can do it, then surely Sasuke-kun could,' she thought. Approaching him, she asked, "Sasuke-kun? Would you like some tips on getting up to the top…?"

"I don't need your help!" he snapped. "I can do it on my own. I don't need anyone's help."

Naruto watched out of sight from the top of his tree. Narrowing his eyes, he knew this was going to turn ugly pretty quick.

Sakura recoiled at the venom in Sasuke's voice. "I-I was just trying to help, Sasuke-ku…"

"Like I said before, I don't need anyone's help, least of all yours," he growled, glaring at her through a slanted eye. "Do you have any _idea_ of how sick I am of you following me like a lost puppy? You're pathetic. The only reason you got up that tree so quickly with your Chakra Control is because your reserves are way too small… The only thing you'd be useful for is your book smarts and Genjutsu… wait, you fell for an incredibly simple one during the bell test."

Sakura was trembling at the lashing she was getting from her supposed Sasuke-kun, and she knew he wasn't done yet. "I, on the other hand, have more Jutsu than I have to deal with, and more chakra than you," he said, ignoring the look in her eyes. "The only way I'd accept your help _or_ even think of going out with you would be if you were at least up to the Hyuuga bitch's level."

Naruto was seething now. Not only did Sasuke tear into his Sakura-chan about her weaknesses, he had the nerve to call his Hinata-chan a _bitch_. Oh, he was going to regret this big time.

"Frankly, you're as weak as the dobe, even with his sad little Kekkai Genkai. A jutsu or two wouldn't help you… you'd be better off just quitting as a kunoichi." Turning away and going to another tree, he threw a final insult over his shoulder. "By the way, even if I did think about going out with you, I wouldn't. Not on my clan's honor."

Sakura felt her heart shatter into tiny pieces. Her eyes filled with tears, she stood there, Sasuke's voice in her head, telling her that she was a waste of time and space. As her tears streamed down her face, she turned around and ran out of the clearing, sobbing quietly.

Naruto had had enough. He knew that what Sasuke said to Sakura was unbearably harsh, but it was also unnecessary. Now he made his Sakura-chan cry. Naruto shook his head, when did he think of Sakura-chan as his? Putting that thought aside, he jumped through the trees, following Sakura as she ran, but not until he threw a kunai with an exploding tag attached to the hilt at Sasuke's tree. "Katsu," he muttered.

Sasuke snorted at the sounds of Sakura's anguish. "I did her a favor," he muttered, making his way up the tree. As he reached the highest point he had gotten to previously, a thunk in the tree made him pause and check the area. He saw a kunai inches away from his feet, and at the sight of the exploding tag on the kunai, his eyes widened.

The kunai went off, and he was thrown backwards by the force of the explosion. He collided with a tree behind him, and was knocked blissfully unconscious.

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Sakura came to a stop in another clearing, and she fell to her knees, crying her heart out. Sasuke had been brutal in his assessment of her abilities, and deep down, she knew that she was weaker than the two of them, and Hinata as well. She felt so depressed, that her mind began to wander, and thoughts of suicide drifted in.

She felt someone grab her from behind, and she yelped, standing to her feet to try to fight off her assailant. "Sakura-chan!!" she heard, and she calmed down. "Na-Naruto-kun?" she whispered, turning around.

Naruto had hugged her from behind, and now had a warm, sincere smiling on his face. "I heard what Sasuke-teme said," he said, spitting out Sasuke's name like a curse. "And I think he's a stuck-up bastard who's going to die alone. As far as I know, out of the three of us, you've got the better chance of becoming Hokage."

Sakura felt horrible. Here was Naruto, telling her all these things, and she knew that she was worthless. "N-no I don't," she said, tears falling. "I can't do anything… the only reason I b-became a kunoichi was so S-sasuke would look at me… But now…" she trailed off, beginning to cry.

"No," said Naruto, wiping away her tears. "He's way wrong. Look at me… I couldn't do a simple Bunshin or Henge, and I turned out just fine. So if I, someone with horrible control and a lot of chakra can do it, then you can too."

Sakura sniffled and asked, "D-do you mean that, Naruto-kun?"

"Every word, and I never go back on my word," he said, stroking her back.

Sakura wiped away her tears and hugged him, saying, "Thank you, Naruto-kun… and I'm sorry for being mean to you before…"

"It's okay," he said. "I just want to see you happy."

Happy… the word traveled through her head, and she came to several conclusions right there. First, Sasuke was a selfish asshole, and she had been searching for gold when Naruto were the apparent diamonds. Second, Naruto treated her like someone, unlike a certain Uchiha. Third, she now knew that her thoughts on Naruto now were genuine, and she felt her heart race at the closeness they were at.

Naruto stood nuzzling her neck, when he caught a familiar smell. 'Ne…' he looked at Sakura, and she looked back at him, her eyes lidded green orbs.

On one accord, she reached up and began kissing him, feeling her body give in to what she had been fighting off during the time of Team 7.

Naruto was surprised that Sakura-chan was kissing him, but he had no complaints, so he kissed her back, gently massaging her back. Sakura backed slowly against a tree, pulling him with her, and wrapped her arms around him. 'I want… Naruto-kun,' she thought through her hazed mind. 'He's here… and I want him to make me his…'

It's easy to say that Naruto was startled by the hand he felt at his pants. "S-Sakura," he gasped. "You…"

"I like you, Naruto-kun," said Sakura, undoing the buttons on her one-piece while reaching for her black shorts. "And I want to make up to you all those years of me being a bitch." Smiling, she whispered in his ear, "I offer myself to you… body and soul."

**((BECAUSE EVERYONE'S BEEN SO PATIENT WITH ME ON **WRATH OF THE DRAGON, **I'VE DECIDED TO REWARD ALL OF YOU WITH ANOTHER LEMON. THIS MEANS THAT I'LL HAVE TO LAY OFF THE LEMONS FOR A FEW CHAPTERS OR SO, BUT IT'LL BE WORTH IT. THE SAME THING I SAID BEFORE APPLIES; YOU DON'T LIKE IT, DON'T READ IT. MATTER OF FACT, YOU DON'T LIKE IT, JUST STOP READING, BECAUSE AS SOON AS THE LEMON ENDS, IT GOES TO THE AUTHOR'S FINAL NOTES. ANYWAY, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, HERE IS THE SECOND LEMON OF **WINDOWS OF THE SOUL

Naruto's mind shut down, but the primal side of him born of the failed transfer sealing remained alert. Because of the failed jutsu, it had tampered with Naruto's genetic structure, unlocking certain genes that millennia of evolution had shut off in humans.

Certain genes, which made him more animal-like.

His mind slowly reawakening, Naruto purred and kissed his newfound mate. Sakura kissed him back, her still-growing breasts pushing against his chest. Naruto distantly noted that while they were smaller than Hinata-chan's they still were slightly bigger than a handful…

Sakura had undone Naruto's pants, and held his now-growing manhood in her silky hands. She heard her Naruto-kun moan, and she smiled inwardly as she gently pulled it to her moist entrance… she would soon be his, and then she would show that bastard Sasuke the true meaning of pain.

Naruto, unaware of her thoughts, pushed himself into her silky thighs, kissing her as she let out a yelp of pain, reassuring her with a hug as she trembled.

Sakura couldn't believe how large the thing was that was inside her. She had felt some pain, like a kunai stab, and knew that Naruto had taken her virginity. Her arms around him, she distantly thought about what her parents would do to her if they found out about this, but she threw those thoughts to the wind, thinking 'Naruto-kun will protect me…'

Naruto began to slowly thrust into Sakura, hearing her gasp in pleasure. Suckling on her neck, he began to drive into her against the tree. Sakura was now moaning and crying out his name in pure ecstasy, and wrapped her legs around his waist. She had been denied long enough, and now she was sorry that she had nearly missed out on _this_…

The pace growing faster, Naruto began to grunt with each thrust, and Sakura kept her grip on him as he drove her to cloud nine. Soon, she felt a searing heat in her womb, and cried out Naruto's name as she clenched down on him.

Naruto growled out her name, and as he pulsed into her, his eyes opened to reveal purple eyes with slitted pupils, and his whisker marks grew more pronounced.

Sakura felt something warm and wet splash inside her, and she gasped out his name in ecstasy, before all went black.

**((END OF LEMON))**

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Hot damn, twenty-seven freaking pages according to Microsoft Word. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter; managed to burn Sasuke twice, and showed that a bit of change can affect a person in more ways than one (i.e. Naruto's increased intelligence). I see that a couple of you are starting to see what happened to Naruto, so kudos to you. I'll probably end up totally revealing in the next couple of chapters, but things are looking good for all of us.

Another note, the inspiration I got for Sasuke's rail against Sakura was due to **LittleKuriboh**'s _**Yu-Gi-Oh! The (Abridged) Movie**_, in that part where Kaiba railed against Yugi (you can watch it on or download it at **LittleKuriboh**'s main site). I just listened to the speech a couple of times, wrote it down, and applied it to Naruto. After a few trials, the speech Sasuke gave was the final result.

On a final note, I sure hope that I don't get flagged for this, because I really don't fancy being banned from this wonderful site. I gave off two long warnings, so… meh.

Anyway, thank all of you for being such a great audience. The next chapter of **Windows **_**of the Soul**_ may come within the next two weeks, and the next chapter of _**Wrath of the Dragon**_ is in the works, but may come out later. Have fun, and the Guardius shall return!

((Rai Shunshin no Jutsu))


	3. Journey through the Waves:  High Tide

Hey you guys, I'm back once again. Hopefully, you liked the second chapter, and I hope no one flags me. I feel like Jiraiya-sama…

In response to the reviews I got (read: Ero-Ero Kitsune & Nawaki no Shinobi), I would like to clarify a few things:

1 - It's not rape if one or both give consent. And as I recall, Naruto **clearly gave consent**.

2 - All of the Rookie Nine are not twelve, they're roughly thirteen. Any Shippuuden reader will be able to tell you that, as when all of the Rookie Nine are seen after the 2.5 year gap, all of their years are declared as **fifteen**.

3 - As Zabuza stated himself, his hands were bloodstained when he was younger than Naruto and the crew when Naruto first took off. And it's painfully obvious to all that anyone in a time period with constant battles doesn't live very long (read: High death rate for Shinobi), so the philosophy here is: Old enough to kill, old enough to screw. (Example: Uchiha Obito; died at age 15. Never got laid, sadly.)

4 - What seems wrong to everyone else may be acceptable in other places. Example: Certain religions practice polygamy (read: Islam in the East and Fundamentalist Mormons in the West), and state that polygyny (multiple wives) is perfectly acceptable. And a certain religion practiced in the East (read: Jainism) has all its main members walk around nude, except for a strip of cloth on occasions; the practitioners are called the Skyclad.

These are my responses to the flames I got… You ask me questions and flame me, I give you answers and reasoning's. My point is… This is a crazy world, and people are crazy. Even in fiction, it is no different (read: Orochimaru and Sasori). Deal with it. If you don't believe me, GOOGLE _polygyny_ and _Jainism_.

You know the rest; I don't own Naruto or any of its characters. If I did, then _**Wrath of the Dragon**_ might've happened…

Blah Human dialogue

**Blah** Summon/Demon dialogue

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Chapter 3: Journey through the Waves: High Tide

Sakura opened his eyes to see Naruto's sleeping face. Blearily, she looked around to see where they were, and found that they were in a tree. The memories of the previous night came rushing back, and she blushed, now realizing why her lower body felt so strange.

Sasuke had badly berated her, shattering her feelings about him, and Naruto had followed her and comforted her, and then the two of them made love. It got to the point that she passed out from the feelings, then woke up to find Naruto making love to her on a tree branch.

She giggled at the look on his face as he slept. He looked so innocent… nothing like the sexual beast he was last night. She then realized that they had been out the whole night. Kakashi wouldn't like this, not one bit…

She stretched, like a cat, and lifted herself off of Naruto, his member popping free of her and a small stream of their juices leaking out of her. Slightly reddening, she wiped the stream clean, then turned around and gave her Naruto-kun a kiss on his cheek. She didn't care what her parents thought of him, she knew that she would love him, no matter what.

Closing her one-piece dress and pulling up her shorts, she made sure that Naruto was at least presentable, before jumping down the tree and walking away. She paused, looked up at her sleeping lover, smiled, and walked back to Tazuna's house. On her way there, she gaped at the destroyed tree, and then saw Sasuke resting on the highest limb of the one next to it. 'Why did I ever love him,' she asked herself as she approached Tazuna's house.

Once inside, she saw Kakashi looking at her vaguely, and she sweat-dropped. "What?" she asked.

"Where were you? And for that matter, where is Naruto?" asked Kakashi.

'He didn't ask about Sasuke,' she thought. 'So Sasuke must already have been here and left.' "Me and Naruto-kun were out training," she smoothly lied. "We fell asleep working on the exercise you gave us."

Kakashi gazed at her, but said nothing. Finally, he said, "I need you to watch over Tazuna while he works on the bridge."

"Ano sensei, what about Sasuke?"

'She didn't call Sasuke "Sasuke-kun",' he thought. 'Something happened when I left.' "He went out to train some more."

Sakura nodded, then asked, "Do you mind if I take a quick shower? I'm all sticky from training…"

Kakashi waved her off, and she ran upstairs to shower.

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Hours later, Sakura found herself bored out of her skull watching over Tazuna. 'I wish that Naruto-kun were here,' she thought idly, giggling absently.

"You seem very bored," said Tazuna, lugging a long board on his shoulders. "Where are your two friends? The blonde and the other one?"

"Naruto-kun and Sasuke are training," she replied. When Tazuna asked if she didn't have to, she said, "I could, but I have to watch over you for the moment."

The only other event that happened there was a man by the name of Giichi came to Tazuna and told him that he wanted to quit working on the bridge. When Tazuna asked why, Giichi replied that even though it was for a good cause, it would be pointless if Gatou killed Tazuna.

"This bridge is our bridge," Tazuna said to Giichi, after the latter tried to have Tazuna stop work altogether. "This is the bridge we started building together, believing it would bring much-needed resources to our super poor country."

"But it's not worth a damn thing if we lose our lives!" said Giichi indignantly. Tazuna ignored this statement and said, "It's noon, let's shut down for today. And Giichi… don't bother coming tomorrow."

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Later found Sakura escorting Tazuna through the village. It looked more like an open slum than a village. 'What's going on?' she thought, looking around. 'Are things really this bad…?'

Her question was answered when they reached the marketplace. Now it looked like the village was going through a severe famine, as there was hardly any food inside. 'We really need to complete that bridge,' thought Sakura. Then she stiffened as she felt a hand touching her butt.

"Kyaa!!" she cried, spinning and catching the offender with a round-house kick. He had been reaching for her bag, but had touched her butt instead, earning a Chuck-Norris-style kick from a volatile kunoichi.

'Again?' she thought as soon as they left the store. Someone else was touching her, and it definitely wasn't her Naruto-kun. Her thoughts of brutally maiming the offender were shot down when she saw it was but a child. "Here you go," she said, giving the child some sweets. The happy child hugged her leg and ran off, leaving Sakura and Tazuna alone.

"That's why we need to complete the bridge," said Tazuna. "Gatou's made our lives a living hell, and it's gotten to the point where the adults have lost all faith. That bridge is like the Dragonfly… a symbol of courage, strength, and happiness. We need everyone to lose their fear and stand up as one. If we do that… then everything will be back the way it started."

xxxxxxxxxxx

Later found Team 7 and the Tazuna household eating dinner. More like Naruto and Sasuke were devouring as much as they could, trying to outdo the other. "Naruto-kun, slow down, you'll choke," said Sakura.

"Gomen, Sakura-chan," said Naruto, an eye on Sasuke. "I'm a bit hungry, is all…"

Sasuke glared at Naruto. He knew that it was Naruto that did that crap with the exploding tag, he just decided not to mention it to anyone. One, it would raise questions as to why Naruto did it, questions that didn't need to be asked. Two, it was a matter of pride. Naruto had caught him by surprise, and Sasuke would never let him have the pleasure of seeing him caught off guard again.

After dinner, Sakura gazed at a certain picture on the wall. "The picture torn," she noted absently.

Inari stiffened. Of course he had torn the picture out, but he didn't want them to know that. So he left the table, ignoring his mother's calls.

"The one missing from the picture," said Tazuna, his gaze sad, "was Tsunami-chan's husband… and the one called the Hero of this city… Inari had a father, not related by blood, but as close as a real father and son. But because of Gatou… Inari changed, and the word 'hero' was stolen from us…"

"What happened?" asked Kakashi.

Tazuna took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "First, I have to tell you about _that man_…"

_**Flashback…**_

Inari woke up. The last thing he remember was some bullies that stole his dog Pochi, and threw him in the water. When Inari went to go to save Pochi, he remembered that he couldn't swim. It didn't matter though, he ended up in the water anyway.

Inari could now smell cooking fish. He was pretty sure that he drowned, though…

"You awake, kid?" came a voice. Looking beside him, Inari saw a man dressed like a fisherman. "I taught those bullies a valuable lesson. Now eat up, my friend, there's plenty more where that came from."

"Wh-who are you? Are you Ryuujin (1)?"

"Nope, the name's Kaiza."

_**End Flashback**_

"From that point on, Inari and Kaiza were nigh inseparable," said Tazuna. "He originally came here to follow his dreams, but once he met Inari, the two of them became very close. Maybe it was Inari never knew his real father, but Kaiza was like Inari's real father. Also, Kaiza was one to help out whenever he could…"

_**Flashback…**_

"Kaiza!!" yelled a villager. "The rains are overflowing the dams! D-Area's gonna be flooded!"

"Not on my watch!!" said Kaiza, shooting up. "Inari, bring me a rope!"

Outside, the heavy rains had pushed a floodgate open. "This is bad," said one of the workers. "We have to tie a rope to the gate and close it."

"Are you mad!?" shouted another. "Those rapids will tear you to shreds!!"

"I'll do it," said Kaiza. Ignoring the cries of "Don't do it!" and "You'll die!", Kaiza tied the rope to his waist. "Worry not, Inari," he said to his surrogate son, ruffling his hair. "Your dad is invincible, because he loves this city, and you along with it." With that, he jumped in the water. As he struggled to close the gate, he yelled in his head, 'Ocean! Why do you betray me, ocean!? Oh yeah, the harvesting…' Using all of his strength, he did the impossible.

_**End Flashback**_

"Kaiza was called a hero by everyone, and Inari couldn't have been more proud of his father," said Tazuna. "But then, Gatou came to the village…"

"And?" asked Naruto, on the edge of his seat.

"Gatou had Kaiza brutally killed, in front of the whole village."

The Genin briefly paled. "Gatou said that he had been conducting terrorist activities against his company, and had him put to death," said Tazuna, recalling the sad day. "And from that day onward, everyone changed. Inari… Tsunami-chan… the whole village as well…"

Naruto, who had been quiet aside from his question, stood up.

"Naruto-kun?" asked Sakura.

"I'm gonna train some more," he said grinning. "To prove that heroes are still left in this world."

xxxxxxxxxxx

The next morning found Naruto passed out on the ground, his giant scroll beside him. But while his mind was asleep, the primal part of him was always active. And it told him to lie still.

A girl in a pink kimono approached. She had herbs in her basket, and she caught sight of the blonde. She slowly walked up to him, and recognized him as the blonde from the Zabuza fight. She tilted her head, for he looked so serene… and with that feral male beauty as well. She reddened slightly, this was no time for fraternizing with the enemy. But still…

Haku shook Naruto awake. "You shouldn't sleep here," she said gently. "You might catch a cold."

Naruto grinned wearily. "I've been through worse…"

Moments later found Naruto helping Haku search for more herbs. "Is this the one?" he asked, pointing to a plant. "Hai," answered Haku. "Thank you for helping me."

"You're up early, miss," commented Naruto, as he recognized her scent. 'She's that Hunter-nin that was with Zabuza…'

"You too," replied Haku. "What are you doing are this early in the morning?"

"Training," said Naruto. "I wanna become stronger, so that's why I'm here."

Haku, being absolutely sincere, replied, "But you look plenty strong to me."

Naruto detected a bit of, at least what he thought, a small affection. "I know," he said, squinting and grinning. "But I want to become stronger, so I can be the best shinobi in my village, and to prove myself to a certain someone who shall remain nameless," he said, thinking of Sasuke with a grimace. He hadn't finished making the emo-boy suffer yet.

Haku giggled, and asked, "Do you have a precious person… someone close to you?" Her thoughts went back to her childhood, where she was alone and unable to help herself. But then Zabuza came. "When someone has something they're willing to lay their life down for, then they can become truly strong."

Naruto thought about this. He thought of Sandaime, who was the first to acknowledge him, then Iruka, who thought of him as a surrogate brother. His thoughts went to Hinata-chan and Sakura-chan, and the love they shared with him. Hinata-chan was the first to show him true love, and Sakura-chan showed him redemption and love. "Yeah," he said grinning. "I'm also growing stronger… to protect my loved ones."

Haku smiled, and she stood about, leaving the clearing as she said, "You will become strong… let's meet again somewhere."

"I'm sure we will," said Naruto. "Tell Zabuza-san that I want to show him my strength."

Haku stiffened. He had known? Her thoughts were answered by Naruto's voice.

"I can smell him on you… I can also tell that you're female, so it's not worth it saying you're an extremely pretty boy. But I'm not mad… I just want to be friends… believe it."

Haku bowed her head. He truly was something else. "As do I," she said, walking away. "As do I…"

xxxxxxxxxxx

The next day, Naruto met up with Sakura in another clearing. "Okay, Sakura-chan, I have some things to tell you."

Sakura sat cross-legged, and motioned for him to continued.

Naruto sat down and pulled up his scroll. "Sakura-chan… I'm afraid I haven't been totally honest with you," he said, he gaze in his lap. "Do you remember the story of the Kyuubi?"

Sakura nodded. Who didn't?

"Well, the Yondaime wasn't able to kill the Kyuubi, so he had to seal it away, so that it's evil could never be used again. Unfortunately, he couldn't seal it in himself, so he chose a newborn baby… a baby born on that sad day."

Sakura was overwhelmed by this information. Yondaime-sama had beaten the Kyuubi, but didn't kill it. He locked it away in a baby born on October 10th, and saved the village at the cost of his own life. "So, by all accounts," she said slowly, "the adults lied to us so we wouldn't know, but that little baby should be a hero, right?"

Naruto was surprised; Sakura-chan was taking this rather well. "Yeah, but the adults saw him as Kyuubi-incarnate, so he was poorly treated most of his life…" He was silenced when Sakura reached over and hugged him.

"My poor Naruto-kun," she murmured. "You were that child, weren't you?"

He nodded. "As it turns out, the only reason Yondaime chose my was because he wasn't going to condemn someone else's child… and he wanted his son to live on."

Sakura drew back, her eyes wide. "You are the son of Yondaime-sama?" she asked.

Naruto grinned. "Yeah… and I found out about the Kyuubi from Mizuki-teme… he said that Sandaime made a law about the Kyuubi, and so, none of our generation knew."

That made Sakura think; her parents had told her to stay away from Naruto, and when she had told them the team designations, they had raised a big stink about it, but let it go. She involuntarily chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing," said Sakura. "What did you do after you found out?"

Naruto rubbed his head sheepishly. "I, uh, sorta… tried to transfer seal the Kyuubi to a fox statue with holy seals all over, because I wanted to prove that I wasn't Kyuubi… but the sealing backfired, and I got stuck with just about all the Kyuubi's chakra, but no Kyuubi."

Sakura had felt her heart race at the thought of a free Kyuubi, but she calmed down when Naruto told her that he had all the Kyuubi's chakra. "Ano, but why did you call me out here? To tell me about the Kyuubi, I'm sure, but…"

"Straight to the point," said Naruto, opening his scroll. When Sakura asked him why he was showing her the scroll, he replied with a grin, "Because of… well, you know, I now consider you family. It's not that shallow, it's just…"

Sakura kissed his cheek. "I understand," she said. "What else is there?"

Naruto leaned back. "Well… I sorta got together with Hinata-chan… and she said that the shinobi council would force me into all sorts of marriages if they found out about my lineage…"

Sakura nodded, then she remembered what he said. "Wait… you're with Hyuuga Hinata? Shy little Hinata?"

Naruto snorted. "More like she jumped me after I took her home when she fainted… and she ain't shy no more. Anyway, Hinata-chan said that it'd be better more me to choose the girls I want to be with, but I have to show them to her, first…"

Sakura nodded, her mind on autopilot. "So… she said that you'll need a… harem?"

Naruto squinted. "I dislike that word… I'd prefer to think of it as a big family…" He shook his head. "Anyway," he pointed to an inscription, "I wanted to teach you Kage Bunshin."

Sakura thought about it. Solid clones, clones that actually were able to hurt someone. Reading over the description, she blanched. "Naruto-kun, Kage Bunshin is a Kinjutsu…"

"I know," he said, "but I wanted to help you get stronger. Kage Bunshin divides your chakra evenly amongst the clones you make, so I figured that if we work on increasing your chakra coils, then you'll show Sasuke-teme who's boss!" He punctuated his statement with a thumbs-up. "Also, I think when the Bunshin go away, their memories go to you…"

Sakura laughed. "No way! Bunshin can't do that!"

Naruto shook his head. "I think so… remember when Kakashi-sensei did that Sennin Goroshi thing on the clone? Right after the clone went poof, I suddenly felt violated and scarred for life, strangely..." Naruto shivered at the memory.

Sakura thought about it. It could be possible, but she need one more bit of proof. "Make a clone," she ordered.

When Naruto did so, Sakura grabbed the clone by the hand and walked away with it. A couple of minutes later, she came back without the clone, and sat in front of him. "Well?" she said.

After a moment, Naruto grinning foxily. "You told the clone that you wanted to visit my house when this mission was over, and see how 'comfortable' you could get…"

Sakura reddened. So Kage Bunshin could do that… and now, Naruto knew that she wanted to stay over at his house for… comfort. "Okay, you win, Naruto-kun." Standing up, she said, "Teach me. I don't want to be useless, and I want to be strong."

Naruto grinned and stood up. "Let's get things started."

xxxxxxxxxxx

Hours later found Kakashi doing push-ups with his index finger, with Tsunami and Tazuna on his back. "I'm confused about one thing," said Tazuna. "Why did you still take the mission when I lied about it?"

"Below the courageous, there is nothing," said Kakashi. "Those were the words of Yondaime Hokage-sama. Shinobi don't move because of money alone…"

He and a certain individual had the same thought at this point: 'My body is about back to normal…'

Hours later found Naruto carrying a sleeping Sakura inside Tazuna's home, bridal-style. "Welcome back," said Tazuna. "You two look worn out…"

"Heh, both of us… were training," said Naruto, as he sat and kept Sakura in his lap. Sasuke snorted and thought to himself, 'It won't make a difference…'

Kakashi, with his Icha Icha Paradise-warped mind, thought other thoughts, but he reasoned with, 'They're not even Chuunin, yet…' So instead, he said, "Well done! Okay, starting tomorrow… you and Sasuke will help protect Tazuna-san."

Tazuna chuckled as Naruto gently set Sakura into the chair next to him. "I'm worn out too… but it looks like the bridge is nearly done. Maybe another days work, and it'll be complete."

Naruto slumped forward, drained from the training he did with Sakura. He was broken out of his stupor by a previously quiet Inari, who yelled, "Why do you guys even bother trying!? No matter what you do, you're no match for Gatou's men! No matter what, in the face of the strong, the weak perish!"

Sakura, who had been rudely awakened by Inari, glared at the little boy while Kakashi, Sasuke, Tazuna, and Tsunami gazed at him with something less than shock. "Whatever," came Naruto's droned voice. "I'm not like you…"

"I'd hate to be you!!" shouted Inari, tears streaming. "You don't know anything about this country, and you don't know anything about me! I'm way different than you, you clown! You don't know how hard my life is!!"

This clearly was the wrong thing to say, as the temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. Slowly, Naruto turned to face Inari, his blue eyes as cold as ice as Inari flinched.

"You think your life sucks?" he said slowly. "Except for a select few, my entire village hates my very existence… I've been through enough brushes with Death to send him to come for me in broad daylight! So don't go whining about how bad your life is, because there's always someone who's worse off!!" he shouted the last part, then stood up and left. He paused when Sakura grabbed his hand, and when he saw her eyes, he sighed, then left the room.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Later found Inari sitting on the balcony of his house, looking at the ocean under the moon.

"Can I join you?" asked Kakashi, who appeared behind him. When Inari didn't answer, Kakashi assumed implied consent, and sat next to him. "You know, Naruto didn't mean any harm by what he said," he started. "Sometimes, he just goes off without thinking, but he's generally a good person."

Gazing at the ocean, Kakashi droned on. "Tazuna-san told us about Kaiza… thing is, Naruto grew up without his father, just like you. Actually, you have it better off than he did." At Inari's confused look, Kakashi moved on. "Naruto grew up not knowing his parents, and before he came onto Team 7, he's never had a friend. But he strove through it, to prove to everyone what a good shinobi he can be. He probably got sick of crying, and he probably knows what it means to be strong, just like your father."

The next morning, Kakashi, Tazuna, Sakura, and Sasuke left Tazuna's house. Naruto was inside sleeping, as he had worked himself to the bone. "Take care of Naruto-kun," said Sakura waving. "Let's super special awesome go," said Tazuna enthusiastically.

"Please don't say that…"

At the bottom of the bridge, Zabuza and Haku with her Hunter-nin mask on gazed impassively, ignoring the squawking radio that spewed Gatou's voice. "You ready, Haku?" asked Zabuza.

"Hai," she said.

"One thing Haku," said Zabuza. "That boy… Uzumaki Naruto… watch out for him. Out of those four… he and Kakashi are the most dangerous."

"How so?" she asked, confused.

"If my hunch is correct," said Zabuza, "then if that Uzumaki kid knows about his eyes, he's well within his rights to kill any Kiri-nin he comes across."

Said Uzumaki was frantically getting dressed. Sakura-chan had left him a note saying to meet them at the bridge. As he left Tazuna's house, he saw a bush rustle. "Hmm?"

xxxxxxxxxxx

"Would you please stop saying 'Super Special Awesome', Tazuna-san?" said Sakura irritably to Tazuna, who had said it yet again. "It's stopped being funny a while ago…"

Tazuna, ignoring Sakura's bashing of his new catch-phrase, gaped at the five wounded workers lying on the bridge. "What the hell happened!?" he asked frantically, and stiffened when the worker gasped out, "A monster…" And then, the mist rolled in.

"Oh hell," muttered Kakashi. "On point!" he said sharply. "This is it… They're here."

"Kirigakure no jutsu," said Sakura under her breath.

"Long time no see, Kakashi," came Zabuza's voice through the mist. "I see you're still with those brats… poor duck-ass, he's shaking in his boots."

As the mist cleared, there were six Zabuza's around the four. "I'm trembling…" said Sasuke, grinning, "… with excitement!" On Kakashi's orders, Sasuke moved with the speed of a tiger and slashed through the Zabuza's, and they dropped to the ground in splashes of water.

Some yards away, the real Zabuza and Haku appeared. "Looks like the brat's grown," said Zabuza, now wearing a black muscle shirt, black pants, and striped arm and leg warmers. "Looks like you have a rival now, eh, Haku?"

"Indeed," said she.

"Looks like I was right," said Kakashi. "That masked guy was Zabuza's comrade…"

"I'll fight him," said Sasuke, stepping forward. "Tricking us with that stupid act… I hate bastards like that…"

"Impressive," said Haku, gazing impassively at Sasuke. "even if the Mizu Bunshin have 1/10 the strength of the original… still, impressive…"

With that, she disappeared and reappeared in front of Sasuke and lashed out. 'Fast!!' thought Sasuke as he parried her blow.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Back at Tazuna's house, Waraji and Zouri had broken in and cornered Tsunami. Inari came running at his mother's scream, and saw the two samurai. "Mom!!"

"Run Inari!" yelled Tsunami. "Go and get help!"

"Gatou said to get the women… Should we take the brat, too?" asked Waraji, and Zouri answered, "We only need one hostage." "Ah," said Waraji, pulling his sword. "Then maybe the brat needs to go…"

"Wait!!" said Tsunami frantically. "Lay one finger on the boy, and I'll bite my tongue and kill myself! You need a hostage, take me instead!"

"Fine," said Zouri. "Thank your mom, kid…"

Inari crouched behind the wall and cried to himself. He wanted to help his mother, but he didn't want to die. Then, Kakashi's voice appeared in his head. Then Kaiza's, and his family. "I'm gonna be strong," he said, standing. "I WILL be strong!"

Outside, Tsunami walked in front of Zouri and Waraji; the latter stroking Tsunami's skin while saying, "Hehe… such pretty skin… gives me ideas, no?" Zouri groaned and said, "Walk faster woman. Waraji, you can slake your lust later…"

"WAIT!!"

Waraji, Zouri, and Tsunami turned around to see Inari running at them, yelling, "Let go of my mom!!" "Cut him," said Zouri, drawing his sword. "Finally," said Waraji, drawing his as well. The two rushed the small child, ignoring Tsunami's cries, and slashed.

Instead of Inari, they cut a log with his hat on it. Hearing a chuckle, they turned around to see Naruto with Inari on his shoulder. They prepared to charge him, when they heard a voice behind them say, "Hey you guys!!" Spinning around, they saw a grinning Naruto, and then all went black as they got the crap beaten out of them by Kage Bunshin.

"Thanks for your help, Inari," said Naruto as his Bunshins tied up the two samurai. "You've grown, and that's what counts. Kazai-san was right, and you're proof right now." Looking at the two tied-up samurai, Naruto cursed lowly. "If these guys are here, then there's trouble at the bridge." Turning to Inari, he gave him a thumbs-up and said, "Take over from here, Inari. Be a hero!" When Inari nodded and gave him a thumbs-up back, Naruto grinned and ran off, saying, "Uzumaki Naruto is on the way! … Here I come to save the day!"

xxxxxxxxxxx

CLANG!! Haku and Sasuke traded blows once more. Zabuza was slightly impressed, to say the least. So was Kakashi. "Sakura," he said, moving over, "stay in front of Tazuna. Sasuke'll handle the Hunter-nin."

Speaking of which, Haku blocked Sasuke's kunai with a senbon. "Please stand down," she said calmly. "I don't want to have to kill you."

When Sasuke said, "Don't be foolish," Haku replied "I see… but next time, you won't be able to keep up with my speed. I have two advantages… the water on the ground, and I've occupied one of your arms. Now all you can do is run," she finished, putting her free hand into half-Ram. And then, she started to do seals.

It shocked both Kakashi and Sasuke. What she did next was shocking, too.

"Sensatsu Suisho (2)." When she stomped on the water on the ground, it rose up like a wall, then began to freeze. When it did so, it turned into senbon made of ice, and launched at Sasuke.

Sasuke, remembering his training, concentrated his chakra to his legs, then jumped skyward, avoiding every single shot. He then fired shuriken at Haku, who jumped backwards to dodge them. He reappeared behind, and said to her, "You're pretty slow… and from now on, you're the runner." Raining blow after blow, he had Haku on the defensive.

Zabuza couldn't believe that his loyal subordinate was losing a battle of speed. Kakashi told him so, too. "I can't have you underestimating my team, now… Sasuke's the #1 Rookie in Konoha, Sakura's one of the brightest, and Naruto… is the #1 unpredictable shinobi."

Zabuza started to chuckle. "Haku, at this rate, we'll be driven back." "I agree," she said, putting her hands in a strange seal. "We can't have that now, can we?"

Sasuke noticed the chill first, then he saw the water on the ground rise up and form into large, rectangular tiles. Then he heard, "Makyou Houshou (3)!" "What the hell is this?" he muttered.

Haku stepped into one of the tiles, and she appeared in all of them. "Well?" she asked. "Shall I begin?"

Sasuke cursed. He saw Kakashi run toward them, and saw Zabuza block his path. "What's with these mirrors?" he asked himself, then he heard Haku's voice say, "Time to show you my true speed." Sasuke then found himself riddled with senbon.

Sakura, trying to help out, threw a kunai at Haku, who reached out of a mirror and caught it. A shuriken caught her eye, and she saw it cut part of Haku's mask when said Hunter-nin saw it too late. "What…?" she began, then saw the answer on the outside of the dome of mirrors.

A blast of smoke, and Naruto stood before them, his hands raised like Zabuza's as if performing the Hidden Mist Technique. "There's no need to fear," he said grinning. "Uzumaki Naruto is here!"

xxxxxxxxxxx

We all know what happened here. Naruto tries to help Sasuke, Kakashi stuck fighting Zabuza, Haku revealing the Hyouton Kekkai Genkai, and Naruto and Sasuke being turned into pincusions by a reluctant Haku. Now, let's get down to business.

xxxxxxxxxxx

"Sharingan?" Haku whispered upon seeing Sasuke's eyes. "I see," she said out loud. "You have a Kekkai Genkai as well…"

"Don't forget me," said Naruto as he activated Kanchi, knowing full well that it was pretty pointless to keep it hidden during this fight.

"Two Kekkai Genkai?" she whispered. Now things were getting out of hand.

Zabuza thought so, too. "So… I was right," he muttered. "That Uzumaki brat is a member of _that_ clan…"

Kakashi stood in front of Tazuna. "You sound like you've seen those eyes before," he said, both of his eyes on Zabuza.

"Yeah," said Zabuza remembering that dark day. It was part of the reason why he had tried to assassinate the Sandaime Mizukage. "Long story short, I was forced to kill a clanmate of his… one that needn't die…"

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. So, Naruto's clan had originated in Mizu no Kuni, but had migrated to Konoha at some point between the reigns of Sandaime Hokage and Sandaime Mizukage.

"Enough sentimentality," said the nuke-nin, brandishing his sword. "Time to die, Kakashi."

"I can't die yet," said Kakashi. "And neither will my students. Naruto's the last of his clan, and so is Sasuke… the last of one of Konoha's best."

"You mean…"

"Yep, Uchiha Sasuke is his name. A shinobi genius, with the blood of the Uchiha coursing through his veins."

"An offspring of that tragic clan…" muttered Zabuza. 'The same with Uzumaki…'

Meanwhile, Haku had been firing more senbon at the two. Sasuke had taken most of the damage, and Naruto was at the end of his ropes. 'I wish I could do something!' he shouted in his mind, and then he felt his eyes burn. It caused him to falter, and Haku used that chance to attack. She fired some more, and Sasuke took the blow.

"Wha… why did you take that?" asked Naruto, shocked by the fact that Sasuke did this.

"Pft…" said Sasuke, smirking slightly as blood leaked from his mouth. "I hated your guts… but my body… moved on its own…" He collapsed, and Naruto caught him. "That man…" sputtered Sasuke, as his eyes began to close. "That man I swore to kill… my brother… I told myself that I wouldn't die…" He winced as Naruto pulled out the senbon from his neck.

"You're not dying," said Naruto, his eyes now a shimmering white with three black triangles. "No ones dying, if I have my way."

Haku took this moment to merge with her mirror, but Naruto glanced at her, and uttered a single word: "Ranzatsu (4)."

Haku suddenly found herself disoriented, and she clutched her head. She felt a pulse in her head, and dropped to her knees. She lost all sense of balance, and she felt the blood rushing through her ears, the sounds of footsteps, the shattering of her mirrors… all was a cacophony of confusion.

She suddenly found herself clear, and looked up to see that Naruto had taken her mask. "What…?" she asked, confused by how he wasn't doing anything.

"Tomoe no Reinogan: Konmei," said Naruto, his shimmering white eyes turning back to his sapphire orbs. "The third Tomoe of my Kekkai Genkai… Konmei; Confusion."

Haku sat there on her knees. "Why didn't you kill me?" she asked.

"Like I said," said Naruto, "No ones dying if I could have my way. You didn't kill Sasuke, so I didn't kill you." He motioned to his unconscious teammate. '… Sasuke…'

Haku was silent, but then she stood, her head bowed. "You don't understand… now you have taken away my reason for living. Zabuza-sama has no need for weak shinobi, or a defective tool…"

"You're not a tool!" snapped Naruto. "What makes him so special anyway!?"

Haku bowed her head, and told Naruto of her history. She explained how in Mizu no Kuni, those with bloodlines were seen as monsters and tools, and civil wars in Mizu no Kuni had resulted in the deaths of nearly all the Kekkai Genkai users in Mizu no Kuni. "My mother was one of them," she said, her eyes vacant. "And when my father found out, he killed her, and then tried to kill me… but I killed him."

"Then Zabuza found you," finished Naruto, his gaze saddened. Her life was somewhat like his… unwanted, and alone.

"Hai," said Haku. "He took me as his own, and trained me to be his perfect tool. But now…" she trailed off, looking to the side. "Zabuza-sama has no need for a defective tool, so please… kill me, Naruto-kun."

Over with Zabuza and Kakashi, Kakashi had taken a scroll from his pouch, opened it, smeared blood on it from a wound on his chest, and closed it, holding it in his hands. "Get ready, Zabuza," he said, as he did four seals. 'Tiger, Boar, Dragon, Dog…' he then slammed the scroll into the ground, and muttered "Kuchiyose: Doton: Tsuiga no Jutsu (5)!"

Around Zabuza, eight dogs leapt out of the ground and latched onto him, holding the nuke-nin in place. "Those are my Ninken," said Kakashi. "Their sense of smell exceeds that of normal dogs. They tracked my blood on your body, and now you're stuck. As I said last time… your future is death."

"Pft," said Zabuza, glaring at Kakashi. "Cut the bullshit."

Kakashi snorted. "You can't do a damn thing now. I heard what happened with you… that bit you mentioned about Naruto's clan gave off some insight, but still… a coup 'de tat against the Mizukage?" With that, Kakashi performed the seals for his original jutsu. Ox… Hare… Monkey… at Monkey, he grabbed his wrist, and lightening began to form. "Raikiri!!"

'What!?' thought Zabuza, now a little unsettled. 'Enough chakra is visible around his hand!!'

Kakashi faced Zabuza. "You're a dangerous man… your ideals sacrifice others for your gain. I'll ask you once more: Surrender."

"Do your worst," spat Zabuza.

Haku saw the light, and performed a single-handed seal. "Sorry Naruto-kun," she said to the startled Naruto. "But Zabuza-sama needs me…" With that, she disappeared into a mirror.

Naruto muttered, "Tomoe no Reinogan: Kanetsu Ni." Instantly, he could see all chakra… and he saw the ball of lightening in Kakashi's hand. "Kuso!!" he cursed, his body moving faster before he could think. "Haku's trying to intercept it!!"

Kakashi rushed at Zabuza, but he saw a dark shape appear before him. Too late to pull back, he surged forward, thrusting his lightening-engulfed hand at Zabuza.

In a splash of blood, he saw with horror what he actually hit, as did Sakura, who covered her mouth in horror.

Haku had reached Zabuza in time… but Naruto had shoved her out of the way, and taken the Raikiri in the shoulder. "Wha… wha…" Kakashi tried to get out the words, but Naruto grinned, despite the pain he was in.

"I… couldn't let her die," he said, as Kakashi pulled his trembling hand free from his student.

"Heh," said Zabuza, amazed by Naruto's tenacity. "Saved by my enemy's student… all for a defective tool?"

Naruto, clutching his profusely bleeding shoulder, let his healing factor take over and glared at Zabuza with, for the first time, red eyes with slitted pupils. "Don't you call her that," he said, his whiskers growing more pronounced.

'What… is he?' thought Haku.

Zabuza decided that, unknown factors or not, Uzumaki and Kakashi were going to die. He swiped at the two with his sword, but Kakashi reacted faster. Mad at himself for injuring his own student, he brutally jabbed kunai into Zabuza's arms, rendering them useless.

Even so, Zabuza tried to fight back, but Kakashi held a kunai to the injured nuke-nin's throat. "You can't beat me, Zabuza… I was a former ANBU captain, and you're in no shape to take me on…"

"Well, well…" came a familiar voice.

It was Gatou, and he had brought just about all of his henchmen. "Looks like you're getting your ass kicked… Zabuza."

"Gatou," growled Zabuza, in no mood for this. "What do you want? And what's with those men?"

Sakura, who had brought the now conscious Sasuke over, tended to Naruto and Haku. "What's going on?" she asked.

Haku grimaced. "It's our employer," she said wearily, tired from using her chakra.

"Hehehe…" chuckled Gatou. "The plan's changed. At first I wasn't going to pay you, and let the Hunter-nin from Kirigakure know where you were…"

Zabuza grimaced. He knew this wasn't going to end well.

"But then I saw this fight, and thought that it'd be better to kill off you guys, and give the girls to my men as part of a job well done."

Sakura gasped, and latched onto Naruto in fright. Haku lifted herself to her feet, and glared at the short man who dared to betray them, as the rowdy group of man behind Gatou leered at the girls.

Gatou saw her, and grinned evilly. "Actually, as punishment for breaking my arm, my men can have you as their little toy, and I'll keep the pink-haired one… After all, it's not every day that you find a girl with natural pink hair. I find it… exotic…"

Naruto, at this point, had had enough. He drew out two kunai, both with exploding tags, and threw them at Gatou. Due to his still-recovering injuries, he missed and hit some of the men instead, the explosion killing them. "I think you'll be deader faster than you can say, 'Shinigami'," he roared.

"I think so, too," said Zabuza, his eyes filled with rage. "Kid, gimme a kunai!"

Sakura tossed him a kunai, due to Naruto being unable to at the moment, and Zabuza loosened his mouth bandages, catching it with his teeth. "Sayonara, Haku," said Zabuza, and ignoring Haku's calls for him to stop, he rushed towards his opponents.

Gatou saw him coming and ran behind the ranks of his men, ordering them to kill him. They responded enthusiastically, but as Zabuza approached, they saw his aura surrounding him. "A true demon!" said one, and Zabuza began to cut through them.

Gatou was sure that Zabuza was dead, but Zabuza proved him wrong. He appeared before Gatou, swords sticking out of his back, and stabbed the short man with the kunai. Some of Gatou's man stabbed him more in the back, but Zabuza was single-minded in his mission. "Hope you like the heat," he said, his eyes now shining with madness, "because where you and I are going, it's gonna be HOT!!" With that, he severed Gatou's head from his body.

His mission done, he fell to the ground, his wounds kicking in at last. Gatou's men stood around the dying nuke-nin, then turned to Team 7 and Haku. "You guys are dead!" one shouted. "Ransack the village!" yelled one, and another yelled "Take anything of value, starting with those girls!!"

Naruto, Kakashi, and Sasuke were on their feet, facing the oncoming hordes. "Damn," cursed Sasuke, still aching from his wounds. "Can't you do anything?" he yelled to Naruto and Kakashi.

"I'm nearly done," Kakashi shot back.

"Same here," said Naruto, pulling out kunai. "But I'm not going down without a fight. They can have Sakura-chan and Haku-chan over my dead body!"

Despite the situation, Haku blushed slightly, but she and the others were caught by surprise when an arrow landed in front of the gang of henchmen. "If you come on our island," shouted Inari, at the head of a group of vengeful villagers, "we'll stop you with everything we've got!"

At this point, Naruto grinned and did the only thing he could. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Ten Naruto's flickered into existence, and Kakashi did the same as well, creating twenty Kakashi's. As a final kicker, Sakura put her hands into the cross-shaped seal, and shouted, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Five Sakura's flickered into existence.

This was too much for the henchmen, and they took off, screaming and piling onto Gatou's boat, to the joy of the villagers. "We did it!" they shouted.

As the Kage Bunshins poofed out of existence, Kakashi turned to Naruto. "First, I'm sorry about the Raikiri to your shoulder… you need to be checked out and…"

"It's okay sensei," said Naruto grinning. "I had a feeling it might happen."

Kakashi nodded, not sure if he should still check over Naruto. 'The Kyuubi seems to have healed him,' he thought. "Second thing: Why did you teach Sakura a kinjutsu?"

"Uh…" Naruto was saved from answering by Haku's cry of "Zabuza-sama!!"

Haku fell to her knees beside the dying Zabuza, and let her tears stream down. "Zabuza-sama…"

Zabuza wearily looked up. "Haku… you've become a fine shinobi… and a fine young woman…" Coughing up blood, he knew his time was short. "You don't need me anymore… grow up strong… go with the Uzumaki kid… he seems decent enough…"

Haku sniffled and nodded. When Zabuza called over Naruto, he came over.

"Kid… you did good… I can see… that Haku's in good hands now… You make her cry though… and I'll come back from the dead… all for the express purpose of kicking your ass…" Zabuza coughed up more blood, and he knew his end was near. "Kid… I want you to have my sword…"

Naruto was shocked. "But… I… it's your mark…"

"And I'm giving it to you…" said Zabuza, closing his eyes. "Think of it as… a parting gift… for one asking for one… seeking… atonement…" Zabuza felt himself grow cold, and whispered in his mind… 'Kaga-chan… I hope… to see you… once more…'

As he whispered out "Kaga-chan…", Momochi Zabuza, former member of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, nuke-nin of Kirigakure, and nicknamed Demon of the Mist… passed from this world into the next world.

As it began to snow, Haku sobbed into her master's lifeless chest, crying his name over and over. Naruto knelt down from behind, and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Haku turned around and sobbed into his shoulder, and Naruto gently rubbed his hand up and down her back.

Two weeks later, after giving Zabuza a formal burial, Team 7 plus Haku departed Nami no Kuni, with the bridge completed. As the four shinobi left, Tazuna realized what he'd call the bridge. "In honor of the boy who gave us back our hearts, and our courage, we'll call this super special awesome bridge… the Ultimate Ninja Bridge."

"Grandpa," said Inari as they walked back, "that's a good name… but could you please stop saying 'Super Special Awesome'? It's starting to scare me…"

"I won't make any promises."

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_An indeterminate time later…_

Naruto woke up, feeling Haku's reassuring body pressed against his. It had been roughly a week since they had returned from Nami no Kuni. Haku had been accepted by Sandaime as a Konoha shinobi, since she wasn't actually a nuke-nin to begin with. Haku now lived with him, as she had nowhere else to go, and he had plenty of room. Currently, she was a Chuunin, and registered as a medic-nin-in-training.

Naruto got up, and kissed Haku's cheek. She moaned and smiled in her sleep. Contrary to what he did with Sakura-chan and Hinata-chan, he hadn't taken her yet, as he wanted her to finish grieving over her former master's death. But he had taken her and Sakura to meet Hinata, and Hinata was more-or-less pleased with his choices. Granted, she was doubtful of Sakura-chan, but Naruto was able to vouch for her, and Hinata accepted her.

Naruto finished dressing, and looked at the latest addition to his arsenal. Kubikiri Houcho, Zabuza's sword, was now officially his. Naruto sealed it into a scroll marked "Kiri no Ken", because it was currently too heavy for him to carry, and it drew too much attention.

Pulling on his giant scroll and leaving his compound, he made his way to the team meeting place. When he got there, he saw Sasuke leaning against the railing, looking as bored as hell. 'Hell, I'll be bored too after that mission,' thought Naruto, as he sat on the railing. Sakura-chan wasn't there, and he wondered what she was doing.

"Naruto-kun!" he heard Sakura saw, and he turned his head to greet her. The words never got out, because he was now gaped at what she was wearing.

Sakura had her one-piece dress open, revealing a black cloth (that both adequately covered and supported her well-formed B-Cups) which was held up by a strap that went over her left shoulder. Below the cloth was netting that went down below her belly button, nearly touching her black shorts, and as a final touch, she had an obi belt going around her mid-section. So her dress wouldn't flail, he assumed. He then noticed that she had some of her hair in a ponytail that went down past her shoulder blades.

"Damn," he swore, tilting his head. "You look great, Sakura-chan."

Sakura blushed slightly and kissed his cheek. Naruto could register Sasuke giving Sakura a look over, and slightly narrowed his eyes. "Oh, hell no," he muttered, wrapping an arm around his Sakura-chan.

Sasuke snorted and looked the other way, figuring that that was just an attempt by Sakura to make him jealous. A full two hours passed before Kakashi appeared. Kakashi gazed at Sakura for a moment, thinking to himself, 'She looks like a kunoichi from a certain manga now…', then turned to face his team as a whole. "Yo."

"You're late!" yelled Naruto and Sakura.

"Sorry, I had stomach trouble," he said, telling the truth for once. Naruto and Sakura decided to leave that one alone. "Good news, everyone. I have a meeting to attend, so you're free for the rest of the day." And with a puff of smoke, he was gone."

Sasuke walked off, presumably to do his own thing, and Naruto and Sakura were left there. "That was a waste of time," said Naruto, as he held out his hand to Sakura. "Shall we go wander?"

"Yes, let's," she answered, and the two of them walked off. Later found them walking along towards an undisclosed location, when Sakura spotted a square rock following them. "Naruto-kun," she said, pulling his sleeve. "There's a square rock following us."

Naruto almost cried. "If we pretend it's not there, it'll go away."

This philosophy seemed fine, but the square rock still followed them. Sighing, Naruto turned around and crossed his arms. "When is a rock ever a perfect square, Konohamaru?"

As soon as he said that, the rock blew apart, revealing three children. Konohamaru was one of them, and he was accompanied by a boy with glasses, a nose-dripping, and a long-sleeved sweater; and a ginger-haired girl with a permanent blush and her hair pulled back in pigtails.

"Konohamaru!" said the Sandaime's grandson, getting into a stance. The ginger-haired girl got into a stance as well, and said, "Moegi!" The glasses kid said, "Udon!", and as one, the three kids yelled, "Together we are… the Konohamaru Corps!!"

Naruto and Sakura gazed at the three, shocked at their antics. "It feels I'm dying inside," whispered Naruto to Sakura. "Don't look directly at them, Naruto-kun," Sakura whispered back.

"Hey taicho!" said Konohamaru, pointing at Naruto. "You said you'd play Ninja with us today! Please?"

Naruto, resigned to his fate, sighed. "Okay, but not for long," he said.

Konohamaru did a little victory dance, which made Naruto and Sakura sweat-drop. Then, it was as if Konohamaru saw Sakura for the first time. "Hey, taicho, who's that babe?" Grinning, he held up his pinky. "Is she your… this?"

Naruto nodded, gladly leaving out that his Sakura-chan was one of three, potentially more. Naruto's eyes went wide at what Konohamaru said next.

"Nice job taicho, you could do better with her than that flat-chested big-forehead teammate of yours…"

Naruto paled glanced at Sakura-chan. She was smiling sweetly… a little _too_ sweetly, while reaching behind her back. "Konohamaru," he said, inching away. "Start running. That's Sakura-chan."

Konohamaru paled, realizing that the girl he insulted was right in front of him. He took off, Moegi and Udon falling behind him. He knew the rage of girls was insatiable, and he knew he was as good as dead, Sandaime's grandson or not.

His thoughts were halted as he ran into a wall. Wait, it wasn't a wall, it was some guy dressed in a black outfit with a red and yellow symbol on front, a strange object on his back wrapped in bandages, strange purple marking on his face, and a cat-like headpiece that bore the hitai-ate of Sunagakure. Next to the guy was a girl with a fan on her back, her blonde hair pulled back in four ponytails, and a bored look on her face.

The shinobi Konohamaru ran into, now dubbed "Batman" by Naruto, picked up Konohamaru by the front of his scarf, and growled out, "That hurt, you little shit…"

"Don't," said his blonde teammate, looking around. "We'll get in trouble."

"Damn straight," said Naruto, stepping forward.

"Batman" glanced at Naruto, and then saw Sakura. Opening one eye wide, he grinned. "Hey, foxy lady… care to dine?"

"Ugh," went his teammate, rubbing her head. Her brother was a sucker for a pretty girl.

Naruto stood in front of Sakura, baring his fangs. "Back off, Batman, she's taken."

Temari, the blonde, tilted her head. "That blonde's kinda cute, in a feral sort of way."

Naruto ran at Kankurou, the one in black, and suddenly tripped. "Leaf Genin," said Kankurou grinning, "are WEAK."

He suddenly found a large blade at his neck, and he looked down to see the blonde holding a massive sword at his throat. "You need to pay attention," said Naruto. "And I can see that you're a puppet user."

Kankurou blanched, as did Temari, when they saw Naruto. And they saw the Naruto on the ground poof into smoke. Temari found herself being touched from behind, and turned to see the blonde that had the sword in front of Kankurou behind her. As the sword-wielding blonde disappeared, the one behind her wrapped an arm around her stomach. "Ne, Sakura-chan," he said, grinning at Temari. "What do you think?"

From the other side, Temari found Sakura running her fingers over her front, and reddened. "I think I like her, and Hinata-chan might as well," said Sakura, smiling warmly at Temari. Temari was in a quandary; she hadn't even been in the village a day and found herself being hit on by a mysterious blonde, and a pink-haired girl who was obviously his girlfriend… well, one of two, from the way it sounded.

Kankurou was not impressed. "Get away from my sister," he growled, dropping Konohamaru and reaching to pull off one of the straps on his shoulder.

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"I can assume you know why you're all here," said Sandaime to the Jounin assembled before him.

"It's that time already," commented Kakashi, as a bandana-wearing senbon-chewing Jounin behind him said, "It's already been reported to the other countries, I saw them in the village. So when is it?"

"Roughly a week," said Sandaime. "So it's official. Seven days from now, on the first day of the seventh moon (July, probably), the Chuunin Exams will commence!"

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(1) Ryuujin – the Shinto dragon god of the sea

(2) Sensatsu Suisho - A Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death.

(3) Makyou Houshou - Demon Ice Mirrors.

(4) Ranzatsu – the trigger word for Konmei. Roughly translated, it means "confusion"

(5) Kuchiyose: Doton: Tsuiga no Jutsu - Summoning: Earth Release: Tracking Fang Technique

Sweet, I'm still around. About the points I made at the beginning of the chapter, I was trying to be as blunt and precise as possible, while not trying to hurt anyone's feelings. Everyone has standards, it's just a matter of how people see them. Like I said before, what's acceptable to us may be unacceptable to someone else, and vice versa (read: show a "V" sign to someone in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and-or New Zealand, and they'll beat you up for insulting them... in those countries, the "V"sign means "Fck you"). Long story short... don't call me a sick bastard when there are people out there much worse...

Well, I've just about said my piece. Sorry about _**Wrath of the Dragon**_, it's going too slow for my liking, but it's getting there. Keep up the reviewing, and have pleasant feels in your lives. The next installment of _**Windows of the Soul**_ will come soon enough.


	4. Path to Power:  The Chuunin Exams

Whee, I glad I'm here to stay. Thank you avid readers for all for your reviews. Here's the breakdown I came up with:

1 – Naruto will summon two animals. Toads is obviously one of them, and I already know what the next ones are gonna be… but I think I'll let you all guess.

2 – Some reviewers are saying to add in older women, and some are saying to leave them out. The only definite answer I have is that our resident psychotic Snake Mistress will _definitely_ be in the harem, but at a later point. Someone put out that they want Inuzuka Hana in, and I'd like to hear what the rest of you say.

3 – I wanted to call the bridge the Narutimate Hero Bridge, as an homage to the game franchise which kicks major ass, but that would have sounded a bit vain. So, I used the Ultimate Ninja games as the bridge's name, being that it refers to numerous shinobi and not one.

I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.

Blah Human dialogue

**Blah** Summon/Demon dialogue

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Chapter 4: Path to Power – The Chuunin Exams

With a low thump, Kankurou grabbed his wrist, feeling pain. Looking in the direction it came from, he saw Uchiha Sasuke sitting on a tree branch, juggling two rocks with one hand. "What the hell are you Suna-nin doing in our village?" he asked stonily.

'He's kinda cute,' thought Temari to herself. 'But why do I feel some sort of pull to this one?' she thought, glancing back at Naruto.

"Another guy who pisses me off," growled Kankurou, massaging his hurting wrist.

"Get lost," said Sasuke, staring impassively as Kankurou pulled off the package on his back, ignoring the warnings of his sister. Sasuke stiffened as he heard a voice behind him say, "Kankurou, stop. You're an embarrassment to our village."

Sasuke spun around to see another Suna-nin standing upside down. But this Suna-nin had an immense gourd on his back, dark red hair, black rings around his eyes, and a tattoo of the kanji "Ai" right above his left eye.

Naruto instinctively stood in front of Sakura defensively; his whiskers pronounced, his eyes light blue with slitted pupils, and fangs lightly bared. He didn't know why or how he did it; he just knew on instinct that the redhead that smelled of Tanuki was a threat to him and his present mate.

Sakura was caught by surprise, by both Naruto and the red-haired Suna-nin. "What…" she began, but decided against saying anything else.

"Losing yourself in a fight, how pathetic…" droned the redhead, gazing impassively at his teammate. "Why do you think we're here in the first place?"

"Listen Gaara," began Kankurou, fearful for his life and pointing at the Konohamaru Corps. "They started it, and…"

"Silence," said Gaara, narrowing his eyes. "Or I'll kill you…"

"Sorry Gaara," said Kankurou, now holding up his hands in passiveness.

'So he's the leader,' thought Sasuke, watching Gaara as he sat. 'He's got strange eyes…'

"Sorry to you guys," said Gaara, disappearing in a flurry of sand and reappearing in between his teammates. Naruto moved so that Sakura was still behind him and faced the Suna-nin.

"Why are you here?" he asked bluntly. "The only reason I can think of is to improve alliances…"

"Nearly correct," said Temari. "We're here for the Chuunin Exams."

Sasuke appeared next to Naruto, and stepped forward. "You with the gourd… what is your name?"

"… Sabaku no Gaara, at your service," answered Gaara. "I am interested in both you and your teammates' names, as well."

"Uchiha Sasuke…"

"Uzumaki Naruto."

Gaara stared impassively at Team 7, and then muttered, "Let's go." Before the Suna-nin left, Naruto stepped forward and asked, "What is your female teammate's name?"

Temari blushed and answered, "Temari…"

Naruto bowed, and the three Suna-nin leapt off. Team 7 then went their own way, unaware of another trio of watchers; two guys and one girl, all wearing BDU-style scarves and pants. "What do you think?" asked the spiky-haired male.

His male teammate, wearing an oversized kimono top with his head wrapped by bandages except for his left eye, responded "Nothing serious… but that kid with the gourd, and those two male Konoha-nin that just left… we'd better keep an eye on them." He gazed at Sakura, who had wrapped her arm around Naruto's waist, and tilted his head. 'Scratch that… watch all three of those Konoha-nin.'

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The next morning, Kakashi appeared roughly two hours late at Team 7's bridge. "Morning all," he said enthusiastically. When Naruto and Sakura yelled out that he was late, he chuckled and said, "Sorry, I got lost on the road of life…"

"Anyway, this may seem a bit sudden, but I've nominated the three of you for the Chuunin Exams." Holding out three papers, he said, "These are your applications. This is just a nomination though, so whether or not you want to take the exam is up to you."

"We'll take it," said Naruto and Sakura at the same time. Sasuke nodded in agreement, and said, "There's gonna be a lot of strong guys there…"

Kakashi's eye smiled and he said, "Good for you. Now all you have to do is sign those papers and turn them in at room 301 by 4PM tomorrow. Ja ne!" And in the blink of an eye and a puff of smoke, Kakashi was gone.

The next day, Team 7 met up at the academy, and filed in. When they got inside, they saw a commotion at the entrance of room 301. Two genin were blocking the way, and they had kicked around two genin already. "It's not worth it," said the squinty-eyed one with the spiky hair and giant kunai. "We've failed the Chuunin Exams three times in a row, so we're doing you all a favor."

Naruto rolled his eyes, and Sakura whispered in his ear that they were on the wrong floor. So, Naruto gently grabbed Sakura by the hand and began to slip away, when Sasuke said, "I appreciate your kindness… but please move. I'm going to the third floor, so I need you to drop the Genjutsu…"

Naruto winced. If Sasuke had kept his mouth shut, then there'd be a whole lot less competition. Naruto himself was feeling a bit antsy now, so he wanted to get out of there immediately.

The second of the two Genin, one with a Konoha bandana, smirked and said, "You noticed, huh…?"

Sasuke smirked. "Sakura noticed it first, since she's the Genjutsu specialist on our team…"

Sakura winced. Sasuke was obviously trying to get back in her good graces while dragging her into his mess at the same time. Resigned, she put on a smile and said, "I knew it the moment we walked in… because this is the second floor."

As the Genjutsu disappeared, revealing room 301 to be room 201, the spiky-haired Genin chuckled and launched into a roundhouse kick. Sasuke responded in kind, but the two of them were stopped by a Genin in a green leotard and orange leg-warmers.

"Fast," said Naruto, his eyes wider.

The Genin approached Sakura, who instinctively grabbed Naruto's sleeve. "Hi," he said. "I'm Rock Lee… Let's go out together! I'll protect you with my life!" he punctuated his proclamation with a wink and a thumbs-up.

Naruto barely suppressed his gag reflex. If the green leotard wasn't bad enough, then Lee's eyebrows and hairstyle was complete overkill. Sakura squeaked and hid behind Naruto, where she said, "Gomen… I'm taken…"

While Lee dropped his head in dismay, his teammate, a boy with long hair in a ponytail, bandages on his left arm and leg, and the same color eyes as Hinata walked up to Sasuke and said, "What is your name?"

Naruto went into his defensive state, and walked past Hyuuga Neji (the one who approached Sasuke), grabbing Sasuke before he could answer. "Let's go emo-boy," he said. "You can play with your new friends later."

"Naruto, let me go before I hurt you," growled Sasuke.

"I've been threatened by bigger and scarier people, Sasuke-teme," retorted Naruto, as he discreetly looked behind him. The female teammate of the Hyuuga and Rock Lee was gazing at him, with a bit of a blush on her face. 'She smells of metal,' he thought. 'A weapons expert, maybe…?'

"Naruto-kun," asked Sakura, once they were far away enough, "why did you grow… feral at that Hyuuga guy, and the Suna-nin, and not at Lee?"

"Lee's too good-natured and somewhat innocent," said Naruto, being sincere. "That Kankurou and that Hyuuga guy are dangerous though, and I see them as threats. The same with Gaara."

Speaking of Lee, he had followed them. "Naruto-san…" he said, adopting a defensive stance, "I wish to fight you."

Naruto gazed at him impassively, then turned around and started to walk away, Sakura following him. "That'd ruin the surprise, Fuzzy-brows," Naruto threw over his shoulder. "When the time comes, I will… but not now."

Sasuke stepped up and said, "I'll take you on, then."

Lee turned to him and said, "It's common courtesy to give your own name first."

Sasuke nodded, understanding. "Uchiha Sasuke."

"Okay," said Lee, adopting an offensive stance. "I've wanted to test my techniques against an Uchiha. Plus…" he trailed off, looking at Sakura. Naruto stood in front Sakura and went, "No."

"But…"

"NO."

Sasuke interrupted this tirade, and said "Knowingly challenging me… frankly, I think you're a fool. And you're about to realize what it means to challenge me…" Sasuke ran at him, but Lee seemingly disappeared. He came out of nowhere and yelled, "Konoha Senpuu!"

Long story short, even with his Sharingan, Sasuke got his ass kicked by Lee, who revealed that he was a Taijutsu user, and Sasuke's Sharingan was useless against him. He was apparently about to launch a special attack when he was attached to the wall by his bandages by a pinwheel out of nowhere.

"That's enough, Lee!" said a talking turtle with a hitai-ate around its neck. Lee abandoned Sasuke, who fell and hit the ground. He was on his feet in seconds, and Lee landed like a cat in front of the talking turtle.

"What the hell is going on?" asked Naruto, truly confused.

"I think that talking turtle…" said Sakura staring, "is Lee-san's sensei."

The turtle had been saying that Lee should have known better than showing off techniques, and then asked if Lee was ready to face judgment. When Lee nodded sadly, the turtle yelled, "Then here comes Maito Gai!!"

In a puff of smoke, a man appeared on the turtle. The man looked like an older version of Lee, from the red hitai-ate around his waist to the green leotard… they even had the same hairstyle and eyebrows. The only difference was the Jounin vest the bigger Lee clone had. "You guys are the epitome of Youth!!" he yelled enthusiastically.

Naruto covered Sakura's eyes and his mouth. "Why is this happening to us?" he asked. "First Fuzzy-brows… and now Super Fuzzy-brows!"

In the meantime, Gai had punched Lee, then pulled him up and hugged him, tears streaming. "Lee, this is what youth is all about!"

"Hai, Gai-sensei!!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!!"

"LEE!"

"Leaving," muttered Naruto as he, Sakura, and Sasuke snuck away from the traumatizing image. They arrived at room 301, and Kakashi was there to see them in. "Good work, Team 7. The Chuunin Exam lies just beyond these doors. Good luck, and take care."

"Hai," said Naruto, Sakura to his left and Sasuke to his right. "Let's go!"

xxxxxxxxxxx

"What the…"

The room was packed with Genin, many of them older than Team 7. "Sasuke-kun!!" came a familiar voice, and Sasuke found a joyful Ino hugging him, much to his chagrin. Naruto squinted and said, "Hey, I need my teammate, Ino-chan…"

Ino glared at Naruto, who tilted his head innocently. He looked so innocent, and with his new look… Ino reddened slightly and looked away.

Shikamaru and Chouji choose to arrive at that moment. "You guys are in this, too? Mendokuse…." Chouji just kept eating his chips, and Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at Sakura's outfit. "Why are you wearing that?"

Sakura crossed her arms and said, "Because I feel like it." But she had noticed the looks that the males in the room were giving her, and moved closer to her Naruto-kun.

"What's crackin', homies?" came a familiar voice. Naruto winced and said, "Kiba, never say that again…"

Kiba had shown up, accompanied by Shino and Hinata. Naruto grinned at what Hinata wore.

Hinata still kept her original pants, but she was wearing an dark-gray kimono top held in place by a dark red obi, and a navy blue kimono coat with the kanji "Ten" (Heaven) on the back. Hinata tilted her head innocently, and offered a small smile. "Konnichi wa, Naruto-kun, Sakura-san, Sasuke-san…"

Kiba wrapped an arm around Hinata's shoulder, earning a wide-eyed look from Hinata and a growl from Naruto. Squinting, Kiba said, "What are you growling for, fox-boy?"

Naruto crossed his arms and glared at the dog user. "You won't like me when I'm angry dog-boy, and I'm starting to get angry."

Kiba snorted. "And what are you gonna do?"

Akamaru whimpered from his spot on Kiba's head. He was doing all that could to avoid making this apparent alpha angry, and he lightly clawed Kiba's head. Kiba grabbed his head and growled, "What was that for!?"

Hinata took that time to move closer to her Naruto-kun and bowed lightly. "Arigatou, Naruto-kun. Kiba-san's been trying to get me to date him for a while now…"

"Hey, could you guys keep it down?" said a voice. It turned out to be a shinobi wearing an outfit identical to Sasuke's, except his was dark purple and he had a strip of cloth around his waist, and glasses, as well as fingerless gloves. "Silly Rookies… I'm Kabuto, but look behind you."

The Genins saw a group of glaring Ame-nin (Rain-nin). Naruto grinned evilly and took a step forward, when Hinata and Sakura held him back. Naruto turned to them to ask why, when he saw the look they were giving him, and he wilted.

Kabuto noticed this, and choice to store it away. "Those guys are Ame-nin, and are known to have notoriously short tempers. So quiet down, everyone's on edge and you guys are making a scene."

Naruto noted that Kabuto smelled of snakes, and slowly went into his defensive state while Sakura asked, "Kabuto-san, have you taken the exam before?"

"Yeah…" said Kabuto. "This is my seventh time, and since it's held twice a year, this is my fourth year."

"Damn, you suck," commented Kiba.

Kabuto ignored him, and drew a pack of cards from his pouch. "It's good practice, and I've managed to gather a sizable amount of info, with my Nin-Info cards. Basically, they're information cards with four years of data burned into them."

He set one on the ground and began to spin it. "They don't do anything unless I add my chakra, and…" An image appeared. "… Bingo." The card now had a map on it with bar graphs on it.

"What's that?" asked Sasuke.

"It's a breakdown of this years exam… basically, the number of Genin and the country they're from."

"Do you individual cards?"

"Yeah," said Kabuto, putting his right hand on his 200-card deck. "I've got one of everyone, even you guys. But it's not perfect."

That didn't matter to Sasuke. "Sabaku no Gaara from Suna, Rock Lee from Konoha, and Uzumaki Naruto of Konoha." This earned a glare at him from Naruto.

"Okay," he said, removing three. Putting his chakra in them, he revealed their contents. "First, Rock Lee. He's a year older than you guys, but this is his first time taking the test. He has completed twenty D-Rank and twelve C-Rank missions. His sensei is Maito Gai, and his teammates are Hyuuga Neji and Tenten. Taijutsu is excellent, and his Ninjutsu and Genjutsu are virtually non-existent."

"Next is Sabaku no Gaara. This is his first year as well, and he has completed eight C-Rank missions and one B-Rank. His sensei is Baki, and his teammates are Temari and Kankurou, who are incidentally his siblings as well. I don't have much info on him since he's new, but it's been said that he came back from every mission without a scratch."

Naruto glanced at the Suna-nin, and caught Temari gazing at him. She looked away quickly, and Naruto looked back to Kabuto as he revealed the contents of his final card.

"Lastly, Uzumaki Naruto. This is his first year, and he completed twenty-five D-Rank missions and one B-Rank. His sensei is Hatake Kakashi, and his teammates are Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke," said Kabuto, reading off the information. "Hmm… Ninjutsu is excellent, Taijutsu is average, and Genjutsu is below average. Apparently, he's rumored to hold a rare Kekkai Genkai and Kubikiri Houcho… but those are just rumors."

"What's Kubikiri Houcho?" asked Kiba, casting a sideward glance at Naruto.

"The sword of the A-Rank Nuke-nin, Momochi Zabuza…" said Kabuto cryptically. "But like I said… just rumors."

Even so, that didn't make the Genin any more tentative of the unpredictable Naruto. Well, Hinata and Sakura were well at ease, and Ino was trying to deny anything she felt for her fellow blonde… but the males now looked at Naruto with a new light.

Naruto, who was feeling more and more antsy, was pretty sure that if the test didn't start soon, a fight would break out, with him at the head. Before his accident, he would have thought it was test jitters, but now… he was sure it was because of the large amount of males in the room, and he was viewing them as threats.

Kabuto, on the other hand, had launched into a monologue about the shinobi villages, ending with the recent creation of Otogakure (Hidden Sound Village), stating that it was the weakest village so far. The Oto-nin team didn't take that too well.

They launched into action; the mini-Kakashi throwing kunai to catch Kabuto off guard, and the Mummy swiped at him with his right arm, with said arm wielding a strange device. Kabuto dodged it, but as he landed, his glasses broke. "So that's how it is," he muttered, taking them off.

Suddenly, he fell to the ground, and lost his lunch. This caught the nearest Konoha-nin by surprise, because they knew he wasn't hit.

Naruto winced at the ringing in his ears, but he was happy that there was a fight started, because it had calmed him down, if only slightly. He looked over the Oto-nin team.

The apparent leader was the Mummy, who had a hairy… thing on his back. To his right was the mini-Kakashi, who wore a shirt that had the Kanji "Shi" (Death) on it three times, and side-guards. To the leader's left was a lovely female, with a gunmetal gray vest and long black hair with a purple bow near the end.

Naruto tilted his head at the female Oto-nin, who was glaring at Kabuto. She caught his eyes and stared at him, before looking away with a hint of a blush. "Sound," he muttered, referencing to Mummy-man's attack.

"Write this on your cards," said the mini-Kakashi. "The Oto-nin Dosu, Zaku, and Kin will definitely be Chuunins."

"Quiet down, you worthless bastards!!" yelled a gruff voice from the front as a puff of smoke appeared. When the smoke cleared, the proctors had appeared, led by a certain trenchcoat wearing scarred Tokubetsu Jounin with a bandana.

"Thanks for waiting," said "Scarface" grimly. "Welcome to the Chuunin Selection Exams. I'm your host, Morino Ibiki."

The Genin up front looked ready to wet themselves. They flinched when Ibiki pointed to the back. "You! Oto-nin! Cut that shit out, do you want to be disqualified before the Exam even starts?"

"Sorry," said Dosu, the Mummy-man. "This is our first time here, and we got carried away…"

Ibiki snorted and cast his attention to everyone else. "All right, let me make this clear to everyone: There will be no fighting without the examiner's permission. If fighting is allowed, killing will not be tolerated. Those who disobey will be put down. Am I clear?"

His glare left no room for opposition. Naruto grinned. This guy was dangerous, and Naruto was slightly on edge, but he was starting to like this guy, this… Morino Ibiki.

"Okay, we'll start Test One of the Chuunin Selection Exams. Instead of your current arrangements, we'll give you a tab with a number on it, and you'll go to the matching seat. We will then hand out the written exam."

And that possible acknowledgement went down the crapper. Naruto cursed lowly. He completely sucked at written tests, and they throw this out? He was going to be mad for the rest of this exam.

A few moments later, Naruto sat in his seat, highly on edge. There were guys all around him, and his Sakura-chan and Hinata-chan were nowhere to be found. Then he smelled a familiar scent, and he calmed slightly. "Kon, Hinata-chan…"

Hinata tilted her head. "Kon?"

Naruto grinned. "I shortened Konnichi wa into the first three letters; Kon."

Hinata giggled. "You are aware that 'Kon' is the sound foxes make, ne?"

Naruto's smile turned into a scowl. A certain fox was the cause of his trouble. Shaking that thought aside, he told her, "I think we may have four more potentials… Ino-chan, Tenten-chan, Temari-chan from Suna, and Kin-chan from Oto."

Hinata furrowed her brow. "Ino-chan I can see, but why the other three?"

"Tenten-chan seems to be a weapons expert, and Temari-chan looks like a wind user, judging by her fan. That, and it could help relations between Suna and Konoha. Kin-chan… I think she wants to get out of Oto…"

During this, Ibiki had been laying out the rules of the written exam, and the point system. "A point will be deducted for each wrong question. That is the first rule. The second rule is that this is a team test. Whether you pass or fail will be determined by the final score of your teammates. The optimum is 30 points. The third rule is… that if anyone is caught cheating by the examiners, then the offender will lose two points. Any who lose all there points will have to leave the exam."

"So, we all just have to keep our points," muttered Sakura, casting a quick glance at Naruto. "Naruto-kun might not do see well, but we can still cover for him…"

Ibiki grinned evilly. "The fourth and final rule is this… anyone who loses all their points, whether by being caught cheating five times or getting every question wrong, will fail… and their teammates will fail with them!"

Naruto winced. He knew that he wasn't book-smart, but he was at least smarter than the average Genin. There had to be a catch to all this, a way to avoid getting all questions wrong and losing the exam.

"The exam will last for one hour. Turn over your tests and begin!"

As one, the Genin in the room turned over their papers. Sakura immediately knew that Naruto wouldn't pass the test, more than likely. Naruto, on the other hand, knew some of the material, but the rest… He had now reaffirmed his hatred for paperwork. "Damnable Procter," he muttered under his breath.

It was a while before Sasuke picked up the secret to the exam. 'This isn't about our intelligence,' he thought. 'It's about our information gathering skills. They're trying to see how well we can cheat without getting caught. And they're marking down all those caught, to separate the worst from the best…'

Soon, it became apparent that everyone had figured this out. Kiba was using Akamaru to spy on the students around him, Shino was using insects to see the other tests, and Tenten was cheating for herself and Lee, through use of mirrors and wires.

Dosu followed the sounds of a specific pencils' strokes on the paper (on the wood) to reproduce the answers on his sheet, Neji used his Byakugan to see through bodies and see the papers, and Sasuke used his Sharingan to copy an examinees movements.

Naruto rubbed his head, thinking about what to do, when a kunai sped past him and embedded into the paper of the Genin behind him. "Oh my god, kunai!" gasped the Genin.

"You fail," said Kotetsu, the bandage-faced proctor. "Take your teammates and get the hell out."

When the team left, Naruto picked up on what they were supposed to do. "Hinata-chan," he whispered, "the point of this is to cheat without getting caught."

Hinata cast her eyes sideward, confused. "Are you sure?"

"Hai. That's what Scarface meant by 'Be proud shinobi' and don't let us catch you cheating." With that, he muttered, "Tomoe no Reinogan: Kanchi San." Now he was able to see through the examinee in front of him and see his paper. "The best of luck," he whispered to Hinata, and then went to work.

Pretty soon, teams left and right were being kicked out. Finally, when it came down to it, roughly half the teams were left. Ibiki smirked. 'Looks like the weaklings have been weeded out… it's time.'

"All right, it's time for the tenth question. But before I ask it, I'd like to lay down a few quick rules…"

Naruto groaned. 'More rules?' he thought.

"These are the rules of desperation…"

xxxxxxxxxxx

"I'm bored," said Kakashi.

"Hush, Kakashi," said Asuma, taking a drag from his cigarette. "Things will get exciting."

"First thing Asuma," said Kakashi, "never tell me to 'Hush' again. Second thing, why?"

"I heard that Ibiki's in charge of the exam."

Kakashi's spirited was lifted, but he felt sorry for his team at the same time, though. "That sadistic bastard…"

"What are you guys talking about?" asked Kurenai, leaning to one side.

"Kurenai, you're new, so you haven't heard of him," said Asuma, an evil grin forming on his face. "Morino Ibiki is a Tokubetsu Jounin that's in charge of the ANBU Torture/Interrogation Force, and he's a damn good one, too. He's so sadistic, those Genin will probably have a mental breakdown by the end of the first exam..."

"Asuma, you know smoking kills…" said Kakashi, changing the subject.

"Silly Kakashi, I'm a shinobi… and shinobi don't die from smoking."

xxxxxxxxxxx

"First, you all are gonna choose whether or not you wish to take the final question," said Ibiki, glaring at the Genin.

This got everyone's attention. Temari yelled out, "Choose? So what happens if we choose not to take the tenth question?"

Answering her question, Ibiki replied, "If you choose to not take the question, you'll lose all your points. In other words, you fail." Grinning, he added, "And when you fail, your teammates will fail with you."

There were cries of indignation, and someone yelled out, "Horseshit!! Of course we'll take the final question."

Ibiki closed his eyes, and continued on. "And that goes with the other rule. If you choose to take it, and get the question wrong…" here he opened his eyes, "you'll be banned from the Chuunin Exam for the rest of your natural lives!!"

At this point, Kiba rose up and pointed a finger at Ibiki, saying, "What kind of bull is that!? There are people here who took the Chuunin Exam before!" Akamaru added a bark for emphasis.

Ibiki chuckled. "You were unlucky this year. I am the Proctor. And as such, your shinobi careers are in my cruel, unfeeling hands. That's why I gave you the option of quitting."

At this, Kiba sat down in a daze. "You can choose to not take the final question, and fail. But you can take the exam again."

Everyone had the same thought: 'Don't take the question and fail, or take the question and stay a genin forever if the question was wrong. Either way, it's a no win scenario.'

"And so, it begins," intoned Ibiki, his voice carrying throughout the room.

xxxxxxxxxxx

When Ibiki asked the people who were going to not take the question to raise their hands, almost immediately, half the people in the room raised their hands. When their numbers were confirmed, they left.

Sakura and Sasuke wondered what their teammate would do. Granted, Sakura had faith, but Sasuke had figured that Naruto would be better off quitting now so that they might have a better chance next year.

Naruto grinned evilly. Plenty of people had played mind games with him when he was younger, so he was sort of mad that he didn't pick up on it earlier. He raised his hand, then he immediately slammed it down, and said, "I'd hate to have you as my psychologist."

Everyone was gob-smacked by what he said. "They must be big," muttered a Genin to the one next to him. "What?" asked the nudged Genin. "The size of his brass balls."

Meanwhile, with Naruto: "I'll take your life-or-death question, and I have no fear. I'm gonna become the strongest, so I can take whatever you throw at me."

While Sakura and Hinata looked on in adoration, Ibiki narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure?" he asked. "Your very career is riding on your choice now, and I'm giving you a chance to back out while you still have everything."

Naruto grinned and said, "You wanna play rough? Then let's get wild…"

Ibiki had to hand it to Naruto, he had guts. 'Little smartass,' he thought. 'I guess there's no point in belaying the inevitable. You're an interesting one… Uzumaki Naruto.'

"Good choice," he yelled out. "Now… to the 78 remaining… congratulations on passing the first test!"

At the blank and shocked looks Ibiki was getting, he launched into a speech of how the test was designed. The first nine questions were based on information gathering skills, and the tenth question was a test of will and might.

He then talked about how information, at times, is worth more than the lives of people, and to emphasize his point, he took off his bandana, to reveal scores of slashes, burns, and screw holes in his scalp.

This made nearly everyone unconsciously grasp the tops of their heads. _The man had been tortured!_

He replaced his bandana, and then concluded with information being wrong would bring ruin to a mission, and to the one doing it. "With that," he finished, a genuine smile on his lips, "I congratulate you all, on making it to the Second Exam."

No sooner had he said that, then a large _something_ flew in through the window and landed in front of him. Kunai hit the ceiling, and the object flew open to reveal a banner and a woman. The woman wore a net outfit, an oversized jacket (more like a trenchcoat), a miniskirt, and a pair of shin-guards. 'That woman's gonna be the death of me,' thought Ibiki.

"Everyone, no time to celebrate!! 'Cause the Second Examiner is here!!" She had one hand in the air and yelled, "I am Mitarashi Anko, Second Examiner of the Chuunin Selection Exams!!

Dead silence, except for Naruto's whispered comment to Hinata, "Maybe…?" Hinata's reply to that was a look that said, "Maybe later, but not now…"

Sasuke deadpanned, muttering, "Just what we need, a female Naruto…"

"Anko," said Ibiki from the side of the banner, "check the atmosphere."

Anko blanched, and then recovered. "You let 26 teams pass, Ibiki? Losing your touch?"

"Not at all, we just had some talented ones this time around."

"Oh, well." She gazed out at the teams left, grinned, and said, "You can be sure that I'll cut their numbers in more than half." That scared the crap out of a lot of people. She raised her voice. "All righty, prepare for the next exam tomorrow. We're gonna be somewhere else, so ask your Jounin sensei about it. Dismissed."

xxxxxxxxxxx

The next day, the genin teams met at a place that had chains on the gate.

'What is this place?' was the thought on everyone's minds.

"Welcome to Training Area #44, everyone!" Then on an afternote, Anko added, "Affectionately known as the Forest of Death."

"Creepy," said Sakura, as Sasuke stood off to the side and Naruto surveyed the area he could see.

"You'll find out soon enough how it got its name," said Anko, and she narrowed her eyes when she heard Naruto mutter, "Sounds fun…"

Anko grinned. "Fun, huh?" In the span of seconds, she drew a kunai and threw it, slicing Naruto's cheek and causing him to bleed. In the blink of an eye, she appeared behind him, licking his bleeding cheek. To Naruto's credit, he didn't flinch. "To laugh in the face of death… you've got guts, kid…"

Naruto smirked. "I get that a lot… but it looks to me that you wanna lick something else."

Sakura stifled a chuckle, and so did some of the males. Even though it was crass, the crazy snake lady had walked into it.

Anko chuckled and held a kunai to Naruto's crotch. "A funny one, huh?" Her attention was caught by a Kusa-nin (Grass-nin) who came behind her and held out Anko's thrown kunai… with his tongue. "You dropped this."

Anko took back the kunai, grinning, and said, "Thanks… but don't sneak up behind me unless you want to die…"

Gagging from the stench of snakes coming from the Kusa-nin, Naruto took this opportunity to squirm out of Anko's grip and rejoin Sakura and Sasuke, the former delivering a 'bop' to her mate's head. "Baka…"

Anko blinked, then said, "Okay, before we start this test, I'm handing these out." Holding up a bunch of papers, she smiled good-naturedly and said, "These are waivers… there ARE going to be deaths during this part of the exam, and the responsibility will fall to me if you don't sign them."

"First let me explain," she said, pointing at the fenced-off forest. "Basically, everyone here is gonna be in a five-day survival test. The area is surrounded by a fence, and there are three main features: the Tower, in the center; the river, running through the forest and the tower; and the forest itself, running around the entire area. It's roughly ten kilometers from one of the 44 gates to the tower, and once you guys are in, the gates will be locked, and you can complete your assigned task."

At the confused looks she got, Anko drew out a brown scroll with the kanji "Tsuchi" on it, and a white scroll with the kanji "Ten" on it. "Each team will get either a Heaven Scroll or an Earth Scroll, and then it'll be an all-out scroll battle. Basically, you have to fight each other for a reversed scroll; like one team has to have both an Earth Scroll and a Heaven scroll."

"There are 78 people here, meaning 26 teams. Thirteen with get a Heaven Scroll and thirteen will get an Earth Scroll. I reiterate, you _must_ get to the tower with both scrolls. Like I said before, you have five days to get to the tower. You'll be facing the same conditions any shinobi on a mission will face; hunting for your own food, constant threat of attack, lack of sleep, and great distance to complete your mission. So it's official… some will die inside."

She then went over the disqualifications; either losing a teammate, or not getting the scrolls within the time limit. "Another thing… don't open the scrolls until you make to the tower. Anyone who does… will get a big surprise. Now, exchange the three forms I gave each team member for a scroll, then move to a gate. Lastly… don't die."

As time passed, the teams got their scrolls and a made it to their gates. Naruto stole Hinata away before Kiba could notice and held her hands. "You'll stay sharp, right?" he asked.

Hinata smiled and kissed him. "I'll be fine, Naruto-kun. Shino will take care of me, and make sure Kiba stays away."

Naruto nodded. "If we run into each other, we should join up. Safety in numbers, right?"

Hinata nodded, and with a final kiss, they rejoined their teams. Soon after, the time came, and the second exam had started.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Pretty soon, our resident Team 7, in possession of a Heaven Scroll, heard screaming. "Looks like the carnage has started," said Naruto, looking into the distance. "I'm gonna go check out the area."

"Careful, Naruto-kun…" said Sakura. A few moments later, Naruto came back. "It's all clear," he said, pointing and winking at Sakura. "Let's go this way."

Sakura started, but then, she kicked Naruto in the crotch. Naruto fell, clutching his goods, and then, in a puff of smoke, he changed into an Ame-nin with an oxygen mask. "H-how?" the Ame-nin groaned out.

Sakura crossed her arms and smirked. "Naruto-kun knows me well enough not to wink at me," she said.

"Damn straight," said Naruto, dropping from a tree. He reached into the Ame-nin's pouch and pulled out an Earth Scroll. "Jackpot," he said. "Now let's get to the tower."

"Wait," said Sasuke. "If something like this happens again, we need a code to recognize each other. If one of us gets the code wrong, then we can assume it's an enemy."

"What should the code be?" asked Sakura, noting that Naruto looked fidgety. "Naruto-kun?"

"Sasuke," whispered Naruto. "The real code should be the one phrase that is the bane of our existence."

Sasuke caught on and nodded. Out loud, he said, "Okay, I'll only say this once. When I ask, 'Nin Machine', you answer 'Hide, wound, and wait… that is the way of the shinobi… when the enemy is hurt and unaware.' You understand?"

Naruto and Sakura nodded. "I'll hold the Heaven Scroll," said Sasuke, holding out his hand. Naruto discreetly made a clone of the scroll and gave it to Sasuke, keeping the original. Immediately after that, a gust of wind came out of nowhere, and blew Naruto away.

When the wind passed, Sasuke was all alone. But Sakura came, and Sasuke held a kunai up to her. "Nin machine."

Sakura grimaced. "Super… Special… Awesome…"

Sasuke nodded and cringed. If he ever heard it again…

Naruto suddenly appeared. "Hot damn, what was that?" he asked.

"Nin machine," said Sasuke.

Naruto grinned and said, "Hide, wound, and wait… that is the way of the shinobi… when the enemy is hurt and unaware." He didn't count on Sasuke socking him. "Wha-what was that for!?" he yelled. "I said the code correctly!"

Sasuke grinned. "The code was the words that were the bane of our existence… 'Super Special Awesome'. God, how I hate those words…"

Naruto grinned evilly and with a poof, turned into the Kusa-nin with the long tongue. "Kukuku… I got a bit careless… this'll be fun, though…"

Meanwhile, Naruto landed on his feet some distance away. "That was a Fuuton Jutsu," he said, narrowing his eyes. "That had to have come from someone way stronger than Genin…" He trailed off hearing a low hissing noise. Turning around, he saw the biggest snake in his life staring at him. Like a hunter. "Mother…"

Naruto was grabbed by the snake's tail and brought to its mouth. Naruto wasn't too keen on becoming dinner for something, so after squirming, he brought out a kunai with an exploding tag on it, and threw it in the snake's open mouth. Putting his free hand into the Ram Seal, he grinned and said, "Eat this. Katsu!"

The snake was about to eat him, when it exploded, spreading blood and flesh everywhere. Dropping to his feet, Naruto sniffed the air, and found his teammates, along with the stink of snake. Growling, he went into his defensive state and tore off into the trees.

Meanwhile, Sasuke had taken Sakura and hidden. He was scared again, only this time, it was plausible. The Kusa-nin was a monster; first he had eaten his Earth Scroll, then made them see their deaths with his Killing Intent. 'We've got to get out of here!' he thought frantically.

"Kukuku… nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, Sasuke-kun…" came the Kusa-nin's voice as he appeared across from them. "I am the Predator, and you are my Prey… all you can do is run." Lunging at them, he was cut off by kunai with exploding tags attached. Backing off, he was able to get away before they detonated. He then sent a glare at the one who threw them.

"Gomen, Sakura-chan," said Naruto, his blue eyes slitted. "Super Special Awesome is the code… I now hate Tazuna-san for those words…"

"Get the hell out of here, Naruto!" yelled Sasuke. "This guys a whole level above us!"

"Kukuku… so, you managed to defeat my snake, Naruto-kun…"

"Your snake?" growled Naruto, crouching and activating Kanchi. He was incensed when Sasuke tried to bargain with the snakey bastard, using their Heaven Scroll as the bait. "You chickenshit bastard!" he yelled. "What's that gonna do!? You said he's a whole level above us… that means he can kill us now and take the scroll!"

Sasuke grew sick at this when he realized he had already handed over their scroll. The Kusa-nin reaffirmed it by licking his lips and saying, "Naruto-kun… you're absolutely right!" The Kusa-nin raised his sleeve, revealing a snake tattoo, and bit his thumb, rubbing blood over the tattoo.

Naruto growled and jumped at the Kusa-nin, ignoring Sakura and Sasuke's cries for him to stop. "Chickenshit bastard," he growled, throwing a punch at the Kusa-nin. Then he heard three words that made his blood run cold.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu."

The Kusa-nin now stood on another giant snake, which took opportunity of Naruto's momentary shock to slam the Genin into a tree.

"Naruto-kun!" cried out Sakura, as her beloved mate fell to his death at the jaws of the snake. She rejoiced when Naruto punched the snake in the upper jaw, but then, she saw him get blown away by a wind attack from the Kusa-nin's mouth.

Sasuke was shocked to see this wild Naruto, and he wasn't able to move out of the way as the snake barreled toward him, its rider yelling, "Come Sasuke-kun, what will you do!?"

The snake was brought to a halt by five Naruto's, the apparent real one glaring at Sasuke with pronounced whisker-marks and claws. "Hey," he growled. "You done whining, you emo chickenshit?"

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"Crap," said one of the proctors, looking down at the bodies before him and his companions. "Three dead ones already…"

Izumo, the Proctor with the bandana and hair going over his right eye, asked his partner Kotetsu, "Is that some kind of Ninjutsu?"

"Yeah," muttered Kotetsu, standing up. "Damn, a problem already… Get Anko over here, now?"

Anko was sitting at one of the gates, eating some dango and juice. She was also thinking about that wise-ass Genin, Uzumaki Naruto, and unconsciously licked her lips. "A funny one, and not that bad looking, either…"

She was interrupted by the appearance of one of the proctors. "Big trouble, Anko-sama!"

Anko threw the dango stick into a tree and listened to his report. "Bodies?"

"And they look strange… please come and see!"

When she got there, she paled at the sight of their heads, while Kotetsu's voice traveled through the background. "After examining their items and papers, it's clear that they were Kusa-nin who entered the exam, but they have no faces, like they melted off…"

'What the hell is HE doing here!?' thought Anko in her head, frantically. "Get me their pictures!" she snapped. When Izumo gave them to her, her heart nearly stopped. 'So, that was him…!!' She began issuing orders. "Report to Hokage-sama! Tell him to send some ANBU captains to the Forest of Death! I'm going in!!"

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"If Sakura-chan dies, then I'm gonna use your entrails as a jump-rope, chickenshit," growled Naruto. He then felt something slimy grab him around his upper body. His clones disappeared, and he found himself before the Kusa-nin. "So…" growled Naruto, struggling to get away, "you're the snake summoner… Orochimaru."

The Kusa-nin, now revealed to be Orochimaru, S-Rank Nuke-nin of Konoha, grinned and started performing seals. "I see you're still alive, Naruto-kun." He heard Naruto mutter something, and frowned when he saw Naruto's eyes turn white with three small black triangles. He felt on an instinctive level to be wary of this child, so he decided to kill him at a later date. But to the matter at hand…

He grabbed his right wrist and his fingers began to glow, revealing an element for each finger; Boku (Wood), Hi (Fire), Chikyuu (Earth), Kane (Metal), and Mizu (Water). He then used his tongue to lift Naruto's shirt, to reveal the Seal on his stomach. Or rather, a tattered version of it. "Oh my…" he muttered.

He was about to slam his fingers into Naruto's stomach when Naruto growled out "Ranzatsu". He suddenly lost all sense of balance, and he couldn't see straight; this made him drop Naruto. Orochimaru cursed and wildly cast out snakes from his arms. A set caught Naruto in the chest, and slammed the former Jinchuuriki into a tree, where Naruto lost consciousness.

Sakura saw him fall, and using Kage Bunshin, she sent her Bunshin to make sure her mate stayed out of sight. "Sasuke!" she yelled. "Naruto-kun may be nothing like you, but at least he isn't a coward!"

Sasuke was his own world at her words. His eyes shut tight, horrible memories of Sharingan eyes belonging to the one he wanted to kill, taunted him. "Foolish ototo…" said the memory. "If you want to kill me… then hate and spite… and survive like a roach! Run, little coward… run and survive…"

Sasuke's eyes snapped open, revealing his two Tomoe Sharingan in each eye. BY this point, Orochimaru had regained his sense of balance and swore to kill Naruto, but when he saw Sasuke's eyes, his joy overwhelmed his desire to kill. 'Excellent,' he thought. 'His Uchiha blood is beginning to boil…' Seeing no further use for it, he dispelled his Snake Summon.

Sasuke whipped out four kunai and a Fuuhma Shuriken, along with another kunai in his mouth. Jumping in the air, he thought, 'I can't die here… I have to kill my brother… I will survive this!' He threw the kunai at Orochimaru, who dodged by zipping right and left. He caught a tree and spun around, tossing the Fuuhma Shuriken at Orochimaru, who jumped over it.

That was what Sasuke was waiting for. He drew more kunai, except these kunai had wires attached to them… wires that went to his mouth. Tossing them at random, Sasuke managed to trick the Snake Summoner into coming between them. "Nice," said Sasuke, clenching his teeth and putting his hands in the Tiger Seal. 'Katon: Ryuuka no Jutsu (1)!!'

Orochimaru was surprised not only by the wire he found himself in, but also by the fire that now raced down them. Unable to dodge, he was consumed by the blaze, and Sasuke grinned and dropped the wire, crouching and panting. Sakura rejoiced at the death of the Snake-man, but then, she and Sasuke nearly had a heart-attack by what he saw next.

Orochimaru appeared, his clothing singed and his face melting. Wait, his _face_ was melting… like some sort of mask! The part that had melted revealed pale skin around an eye, surrounded by dark purple eyeliner, with yellow iris and slitted pupils.

"Kukuku…" chuckled the freaky Snake-man. "To be able to use the Sharingan that well at such an age… you truly are an Uchiha. Now I know… I want you…"

Sasuke could sense Sakura landing beside him, but his attention was centered on the man he now considered fruity. He watched as the man put his hand up to the grass symbol on his hitai-ate, then took it away to reveal a musical note.

Sound. This guy was really from Otogakure.

He and Sakura felt their bodies freeze. The killing intent Orochimaru was giving off was unbearable. But when Orochimaru commented on how "Sasuke really was Itachi's brother", Sasuke was able to move a little out of rage. "Just who the hell are you!?" he yelled.

"My name is Orochimaru," said the nuke-nin as he burned their Heaven Scroll. "If you want to see me again, then survive this exam… and defeat my Oto-nin."

"We never want to see your fruity face again!" yelled Sakura, as Orochimaru put his hands into a strange seal. Orochimaru chuckled, and then his neck extended like a snake's.

In the span of seconds, he had reached Sasuke and bitten the Uchiha like a vampire. When his head left Sasuke's neck and gone back to its regular spot, he said, "Sasuke-kun will seek me for power…"

Sasuke fell to his knees, crying out in pain as a trio of Sharingan-like Tomoe formed on his neck. "Happy birthday, Sasuke-kun…" said Orochimaru as he sank into the tree branch, revealing that he was a Tsuchi Bunshin.

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As the sun began to set, Anko raced through the trees in the Forest of Death. 'It's almost nightfall,' she thought. 'If I don't find him before it gets dark, I'm gonna be at a severe disadvantage. But still… why is he here right now? What is he planning?'

Landing on a tree branch, she surveyed the area, her thoughts a jumble. 'It doesn't matter now… Since you're here, I can settle my score with you. I'll stop you even if it means my life… at least, I can slow you down until the ANBU arrive… I know what you know… I was your apprentice…'

"Right, Orochimaru?" she asked to the upside-down face behind her. When she heard, "Impossible…", she pulled four senbon from her jacket and jumped, but the revealed Orochimaru lashed out with his tongue and wrapped it around her wrist. 'Hell no!' she thought, grabbing his tongue while she yelled "Sen'eijashu (2)!!", sending a trio of snakes from around her arms to wrap around the tongue and bite it. Using all of her strength, she pulled her former master tree from the tree he had fused to and swung him in front of her. With all of her speed, she grabbed a kunai and shoved it through her right hand, pinning it to his.

Orochimaru knew this jutsu. "Soujasousai (3)?"

"Bingo," said Anko with a bitter grin as she grabbed his left hand. "Now the two of us will die." She panicked when Orochimaru grinned and said, "Planning to commit suicide, Anko-chan? I'm just a Kage Bunshin..." Cursing as the Kage Bunshin exploded, Anko caught sight of the real Orochimaru. "Why are you here!?" she yelled.

"Tut tut, Anko-chan," said Orochimaru as he pulled off the rest of his mask, revealing his true face. "You're so cold to me… it's been a while since we saw each other…"

"You bastard!" she yelled, clutching her neck in pain as she glared at him. "You used me, then you threw me away! I was willing to do anything for your approval!!"

Orochimaru chuckled. "Bah, trivialities are so annoying. Besides, you served your purpose… Anyway, in regards to your question, there's a kid I found… and I gave him the same Juuin Fuuin (4) I gave you…"

Anko grinned, despite the pain in her neck from her own Curse Seal. "Sucks for you… that kid's gonna die. Remember what you said… the chances of surviving are 1/10…"

"True… but that is strong and talented, like and unlike you. He's an Uchiha after all…" Ignoring Anko's shocked look, he continued. "He's also very lovely… a perfect vessel to be my successor. If he survives, things will be very interesting…"

With a final warning to not cancel the exam, the Hebi-Sennin disappeared, leaving a pain-wracked Anko.

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"Sa… kura-chan…"

Sakura jumped as a wheezing Naruto pulled himself up to her, with the help of Sakura's clone. "D-damn," he choked, trying to stand. "Let's get out of here…"

Sakura nodded, and Naruto created one Kage Bunshin, and the five (two clones and three Genin) leapt off to a clump of tree trunks. Once there, Sakura dispelled her Bunshin and Naruto fell on his back. His Bunshin dropped the unconscious Sasuke beside him and Naruto cursed. "D-dammit…"

Sakura put a wet cloth on Sasuke's forehead, as the Uchiha began to cough violently. "His breathing's returning to normal, but it's like he has a fever…"

Naruto laughed lightly. "Could be worse… Damned Orochimaru…"

Sakura turned to him, placing a cloth on his head as well. "Who was that guy?"

Naruto, now breathing easier, closed his eyes. "Orochimaru was a shinobi of Konoha… mostly known for his Snake Summons. He was with some other two who were part of Sandaime-jiji's Genin team. For some reason, he left the village… I know this, because I've heard Sandaime-jiji talk about him a few times…"

Naruto winced. "I got careless… I never expected to run into him while here… we're lucky to be alive… but now, I need to recover. I nearly used up my chakra hitting him with Konmei, and my body's a mass of pain…"

Sakura nodded. "I'll set up some traps, then watch over the two of you."

Naruto nodded and made a watch motion to his clone. The Bunshin leapt off, and Naruto said, "He's going to scout the area… when he disappears, I'll know."

Sakura nodded and kissed his cheek. "Rest, Naruto-kun. You've earned it."

Naruto nodded and let the darkness of sleep envelop him. He faintly heard Sasuke mutter, "Mm… no… Get your hairy balls… out of my face…", and shuddered. 'Please let me wake up before him…'

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The Bunshin, after running through the surrounding area, crept behind a tree, and spied on the Oto-nin trio who sat in a clump of trees across from Team 7's hiding place.

"It's almost sunrise," said Dosu. "We've found them. At daybreak, we attack. Our target is Uchiha Sasuke."

"I don't understand; why do we have to kill the Uzumaki as well," asked Kin. "I think we should leave him be…"

"No one cares what you think," snapped Zaku, glaring at the nearly-asleep Sakura. "Just follow Orochimaru-sama's orders. Off the record though… that pink-haired girl looks like fun…"

Kin scoffed in disgust, and Zaku grabbed her vest in response. "You want that you and her switch places?" he growled, his free hand traveling to her breasts. Kin's response was holding some senbon to his crotch. "Try it," she snarled.

"Stop it, you two," snapped Dosu. "If you want her, you can have her after we kill Uchiha Sasuke. But if she and the blonde interfere, then kill them both."

Zaku nodded and let go of Kin. In frustrations, he tossed a kunai at the tree behind them… hitting the Bunshin in the chest and dispelling it.

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Sakura noticed that the sun had risen and sighed. Naruto-kun and Sasuke still had not woken up, and she was dead tired. She hadn't fallen asleep, nor had she made a Kage Bunshin due to the fact that her reserves were low from setting those traps.

"Up all night?"

She jumped at the unknown voice, and shivered at the sight she saw. The Oto-nin had found them; Dosu had his bandaged head tilted, Zaku was leering at her from a tree root, and Kin looked apologetically at her, then her face hardened.

'She looks like she doesn't want to be here,' thought Sakura as she yelled, "What do you want!?"

"Isn't it obvious?" asked Dosu as Zaku jumped beside him. "We're here to fight Sasuke-kun. Now wake him up."

Sakura glared at him, and he chuckled. "Trying to scare us won't work…" He trailed off as he saw the trap. "Nice try, but a booby trap is pointless if someone can see it."

Sakura grinned evilly and cut a wire behind her. A bunch of leaves fell down, and Dosu's eyes widened as he saw what was different about these leaves.

They had exploding tags on them. "Move!!" he yelled, and the Oto-nin leapt away as the tags went off, creating a magnificent explosion.

Dosu landed some distance away, but he was caught by surprise by a massive log that fell. "Zakuuha!" came Zaku's voice, and the log was obliterated.

"I like 'em feisty," said Zaku, licking his lips as he, Dosu and Kin approached. "But you shouldn't mess with us like that…"

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To be blunt, we all know what happened next. Lee came out of nowhere and Chuck Norris-ed Zaku, Dosu, and Kin; Lee caught Dosu in his forbidden Taijutsu move, the Omote Renge (Forward Lotus), but Zaku saved Dosu at the last minute; and Lee got his ass kicked by Dosu, all while Team 10 watched from the safety of the dense brush.

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"Look's like Sakura's in trouble," said Shikamaru as he watched Dosu kick the downed Lee. "Both Naruto and Sasuke are out cold, from the way it looks. What should we do, Ino?"

"What are you asking me for?" asked Ino.

"You're not gonna let her take them alone, are you?" he asked. "I mean, the two of you used to be friends…"

"I know!" snapped Ino, as she remembered the day they stopped. "But what can we do? We can't just jump out!"

In the meantime, Sakura threw shuriken after shuriken at the Oto-nin, but Zaku kept blocking them with his Zankuuha attack. "Damn those barrels in his arms," she cursed as she shielded her face. "Damn air pressure… he just keeps coming…" She was caught from behind by Kin, who grabbed the top of her hair.

"Gomen," whispered Kin to Sakura, then said out loud, "Much more luster than mine… looks like we have a wannabe kunoichi sex-icon. If you've got the time to do your hair, then train, you sorry excuse of a kunoichi."

Sakura, knowing from Kin's apology, knew that she didn't mean the insults she hurled. It still pissed her off, though. Mainly because she _did _do that at first.

"Good job, Kin," said Zaku, as he turned to face Sakura's unconscious teammates. "Now, we're gonna kill the Uchiha and the Uzumaki in front of her, then me and Dosu are gonna have some fun with her…"

"Don't drag me in your sick fantasies," muttered Dosu as he turned to Sakura's teammates as well.

Sakura was truly pissed now, and she could tell that Kin was as well. "Gomen," she whispered to Kin, before she drew a kunai and sliced Kin's arm. Kin cried out and let her go, and Sakura rushed the surprised Zaku.

"Kin!" shouted Zaku, and Kin pulled out four senbon and rushed the running Sakura, catching her in the side. Sakura was replaced with a log, and she rushed Zaku from the right, wielding eight kunai, intent on castrating the Oto-nin who wanted to have his way with her.

"Bah," growled Zaku as Sakura threw the kunai, and held out his arms. "Zankuuha!" he yelled, and blew the kunai back at Sakura, who turned into another log. "Maybe you're more skilled with your mouth than jutsu!" he shouted, grinning.

Sakura snarled and launched an aerial attack. Zaku saw her coming, and pulled out four kunai. He was surprised when he was held from behind by another Sakura. "What the hell!?"

Sakura grinned and kicked him in the face, and her Bunshin delivered a solid right cross. She and her Bunshin were about to double-team him again when Dosu threw a kunai which embedded itself in Sakura's clone's chest. The clone gave off a choking sound, then disappeared.

"A real clone, huh?" muttered Zaku as he cold-cocked Sakura, knocking her away. Walking to her and picking her up by her one-piece, he pulled out a kunai. "I should warn you… the first time's always a bit… messy."

Zaku was kicked out of nowhere, and Sakura fell back. Looking up, she saw in front of her Team 10, with Ino standing in front of her. "Sakura… I won't lose to you. I already told you that," said Ino to Sakura.

"Pft…" growled Zaku as he stood. "More freaks? Least I know that Dosu can have fun now too…"

No one had noticed the smoke rising from Sasuke's shoulder, and no one cared at the moment. Ino was pissed that the male Oto-nin were that brazen to rape Sakura, Shikamaru was annoyed that he had to be there, Chouji was annoyed because he was hungry, Zaku was both annoyed and leering at the state of Ino's dress, Kin was annoyed because she was forced into this mess her teammates were now in, Dosu was annoyed that more Konoha insects had shown up, and Sakura was annoyed because she was saved by her former best friend. Not that she didn't appreciate it, of course.

"Ino…" said Sakura, wiped blood from the corner of her mouth.

"You won't be the only one who'll look good in front of Sasuke-kun," said Ino. Sakura wanted to say that Ino could have her worthless Sasuke, but she knew Ino wouldn't listen, so she decided to wait.

"Sorry to get you guys involved," said Ino to her teammates. "But we're a team, and we share the same destiny. We'll get through this somehow…"

"Correction," said Zaku, crossing his arms. "You and Pinky share the same destiny, the rest of you Konoha worms can die by our hand… starting with you, fatass."

Chouji stiffened. "What… did you just say?" Shikamaru slumped, muttering, "That word is taboo on our team…"

Zaku smirked. "Sorry… did I touch a nerve? Why don't you run home and cry to mommy… fatass?"

Chouji lost it. "I'm not a fatass!! I'm pleasantly plump!! And you're fucking dead!!"

"Well, he's snapped," said Ino.

"This is gonna suck so much…" whined Shikamaru.

"Sakura!" said Ino to her downed friend. "Take care of Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun! -Ino- Shika-Chou Generation Two will handle it from here!"

"Okay!" roared Chouji. "Baika no Jutsu (Multi-size Technique)!!" Chouji's body grew to twice its normal size, and he pulled in his arms, legs, and head. When he started to roll, Zaku laughed and said, "It's just a rolling fatass! Zankuuha!!" He blasted the rolling Chouji with his air waves, and to his shock, the rolling Chouji went up.

"What the…?" went Zaku as the round ball of flesh came falling. "Damn," he cursed. "I can't use any sound attacks…"

"Zaku, move!" yelled Dosu as he ran to his teammate. He found himself unable to move due to his shadow connected with Shikamaru's. "Kagemane no Jutsu… success," said the Konoha shadow user. Shikamaru then proceeded to make an ass out of Dosu as Zaku moved out of the way when Chouji plowed into the ground.

Now Kin was even more annoyed. "What the hell are you doing!?" she yelled at Dosu; not out of concern, but because she wanted to get out of here.

"Shikamaru, keep my body safe," said Ino as she put her hands into the Bird Seal. "Shintenshin no Jutsu…" As Ino's mind left her body, Shikamaru caught her body before it fell, his shadow still connected with Dosu's.

Ino took over Kin's body, and pulled out a kunai and yelled out, "It's over now! If you two don't back off, your teammate is dead!"

Zaku and Dosu showed how much they cared about their teammate. Zaku held up his left arm and sent a blast of air at the Ino-possessed Kin, causing her to collide with a tree. As Kin fell to her front and coughed up blood, Ino's body did the same.

"Wha… why…?" gasped out Ino through Kin's mouth.

"You guys are idiots," said Zaku. Dosu elaborated with, "Our goal isn't to complete this exam or get some stupid scrolls… our goal is the deaths of the Uzumaki kid and the Uchiha kid!"

"Damn," cursed Shikamaru as his shadow retreated. "What a fine time for my jutsu to run out…"

Dosu and Zaku chuckled as Dosu was freed. "From the looks of things," said Dosu, flexing his arm with his Melody Device, "that shadow jutsu of yours only lasts five minutes."

"And it looks like we can kill your pretty blonde friend if we kill Kin," said Zaku. "Shame, too… the two of them are pretty hot…"

"Disgusting," came a voice.

Team 10, Sakura, and the Oto-nin looked up to see Neji on a tree branch with Tenten crouching beside him. "What's this… some Oto-nin bullies picking on some weaklings… and declaring victory?"

Ignoring Dosu's talk of "Konoha-nin cockroaches", Neji glanced down at his unconscious teammate. "Looks like you screwed up… huh, Lee?" he said to himself. To those present, he said, "That unconscious freak is ours, and… you're going to pay for that!" He punctuated that last part by activating his Byakugan. "If you go on, I'm going all out."

"Fine," said Zaku, pointing his arms toward them and firing a Zankuuha at Neji and Tenten. The two jumped aside and onto another tree, and Tenten prepared to open a scroll. Neji held out his arm and stopped her. "It looks like we won't have to do a thing."

At that moment, something unexpected (?) happened. Sasuke, smoke swirling around him, slowly rose to his feet.

"Sasuke-kun?" gasped Ino as she sat up.

Sasuke had his Sharingan activated, but now he had dark purple flame-like marks over the left side of his body. And the chakra he was giving off was sickly and nauseating. "Sakura…" he growled. "Who did that to you…?"

'He survived!?' thought Dosu aghast. 'He had the Curse Seal put on him, and he survived!?'

"Yes," laughed Zaku, smirking. "It was I!!"

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(1) Katon: Ryuuka no Jutsu - Fire Element: Dragon Fire Technique  
(2) Sen'eijashu - Shadow Snake Hand  
(3) Soujasousai - Twin Snakes Mutual Death  
(4) Juuin Fuuin - Curse Seal

Yahoo! I finally finished this chapter, and with twenty-nine pages… according to Microsoft Word. Not much to say, except the next chapter of _**Wrath of the Dragon**_ is going pretty slow, so it may come out later than expected.

Other than that, keep sending those reviews, and let me know what you think. Ja ne!


	5. Path to Power:  Power Unleashed

Hello, once again. Thanks to all of you for your reviews. I'm having fun with this, how about the rest of you?

Disclaimer: See last 4 chapters.

Blah Human dialogue

**Blah** Summon/Demon dialogue

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Chapter 5: Path to Power – Power Unleashed

Sasuke stood there, smoke swirling around his form as the flame marks swirled over his left side, and glared at the Genin before him.

"Sasuke…" gasped out Sakura as she stood on her knees. "Your body…"

Sasuke flexed his hand and glanced at Sakura, making her extremely uncomfortable. "I feel… fantastic. And I know why _he_ gave it to me… I am an Avenger… I must gain power by any means necessary… even if it means selling my flesh to the devil."

As Zaku glared at Sasuke, Dosu looked on with apprehension. 'Damned Curse Seal… Orochimaru-sama knew it was on him, and he made us challenge the Uchiha…'

"So…" said Sasuke, glaring at the Oto-nin. "It was you…"

Shikamaru ran off to the side, supporting Ino's body. "Ino," he yelled out. "Get out of there, you'll get dragged into this, too!"

Using Kin's body, Ino released herself from the host, and returned to her real body. She started moaning when the nagging pain hit her. Shikamaru patted her shoulder and said, "Welcome back."

Kin, on the other hand, fell clutching her injured body. 'Damn those two!' she cursed in her head. 'Damn them both!!'

Dosu began to feel uneasy as he watched the marks of the Curse Seal overtake Sasuke's face. "His chakra is increasing… it's becoming too much to handle!"

"So what!" shouted Zaku to his teammate as he held out his arms. "There's no need to fear a half-dead freak!" Ignoring his teammate's protests, he sent out a massive blast of wind, yelling, "Zankuukyokuha (1)!!" His attack sent massive winds in the same direction, and demolished the area they were in.

When the dust died down, Sasuke was nowhere to be seen. "Heh," said Zaku, smirking. "Blew that sucker to bits."

"What sucker was that?"

Zaku's eyes widened in shock as he slowly turned his head. He was sent flying by a blow from Sasuke, who had appeared right next to him. 'Fast!' he thought, as he stood shakily to his feet.

Sakura had the same thoughts too, but she turned her head to the tree roots. Naruto was still unconscious, but she could see him starting to twitch. 'Please wake up, Naruto-kun,' she thought as she watched Sasuke send a bunch of fireballs at Zaku.

Zaku laughed and used another Zankuuha to blast away the fire, but his eyes widened when he saw the shuriken flying at him. "No way," he breathed. "He hid shuriken in the flames!?" Caught completely by surprise, he was barely able to shield his face as the shuriken collided with him.

"Zaku, below!"

Zaku looked down at his teammate's yell, and looked on as Sasuke was below him for a short time, then reappeared behind him; his foot on Zaku's back while pulling on his arms.

Ino watched on in awe and a bit of horror. 'His chakra is way different than it was back during the academy… that can't be Sasuke!'

"Heh," said Sasuke, smiling sadistically as his grip on Zaku's arms tightened. "You're proud of these arms, aren't you?" He frowned when Zaku chuckled, and saw Zaku point his palms at him.

"Hell yeah," said Zaku, then he yelled, "Zankuukyokuha!!"

Were it not for the Curse Seal providing some (read: very little) protection, Sasuke would've been obliterated at that close of range. Instead, the attack sent him flying backwards, where he landed against the very tree Neji and Tenten stood on and slumped, momentarily stunned.

Zaku, who at this point appeared to have just about lost his mind, smirked and wiped the blood from his mouth. "He didn't die," he said, glancing at Sakura. "Pity."

Sakura knew what was going to happen. She tried to back up, but Zaku was upon her in seconds. "Leave me alone!" she snapped, kicking him.

Zaku caught her leg and hit her across the head, momentarily disorienting her. He didn't count on Ino coming out of nowhere and hitting him. "Two for me?" he asked cheekily.

"None for you," snarled Ino, brandishing a kunai. Shikamaru and Chouji tried to aid her, but Zaku aimed one of his arms at them.

"First I'm gonna have my fun with you, Pinky," he said, leering at Sakura as he aimed his other arm in Ino's face. "Then I'm gonna show your broken body to the Uchiha and kill him, then I'm gonna show both of your bodies to the Uzumaki and kill him as well. And then…" he trailed off, leering at Ino. "You're next, blondie."

Ino shivered, she knew that he could go through with his threats and she knew that unless a _deus ex machina_ came along, she and Sakura were one-time playthings for this twisted Oto-nin.

Neji had had enough, and he was about to put down the Oto-nin, when he heard it.

An explosion; a splintering of wood, and a resounding boom. Then he felt it.

An incredible bloodlust.

Sakura heard the explosion, and suddenly, a familiar form stood between the two Konoha-kunoichi and Zaku. "Naruto-ku…!!" began Sakura, but she trailed off, her eyes widening as she took in his appearance.

Naruto had woken up, and he was seething. He stood in front of Zaku, venting red chakra like a diseased sun venting plasma; his whisker-marks were increasingly pronounced, his fangs had lengthened, and his fingernails had lengthened into claws. And his eyes…

His eyes were a blood red with slitted pupils, and they held the promise of a slow painful death.

It was there that Sakura realized that she felt no fear or apprehension from her mate… just comfort. Naruto was sending his bloodlust at all the present males.

Dosu was visibly shivering now. He could see the Hyuuga struggling to move, and the fatass and the shadow-user were trembling and unable to move. 'Such… such power!' he gasped in his mind. 'Feels like… one wrong move, and we're dead! What the hell is he!?'

Zaku managed to find himself being able to move. Smirking nervously, he jumped back slightly and pointed his arms at Naruto. "S-so what? Another half-dead freak!? You're nothing against…"

Zaku was interrupted when Naruto sprang forward with surprising speed and delivered a bone-shattering punch to Zaku's gut. Zaku was thrown backwards by the force of the blow and collided with a tree trunk, yelling out in pain and spitting up blood. "You bastard!" he yelled, pointing his arms at the beastly Naruto.

"Zaku, stop!!" yelled Dosu. He could _see_ and _feel _the red chakra Naruto was giving off, and it unnerved him. "That'll only piss him off!!"

"You wanted… to hurt… my Sakura-chan…" snarled out Naruto, hunched over as he stalked past the startled Ino. "I'll… tear you… to pieces!!"

'What the hell is going on!?' thought Shikamaru frantically as he watched in fear as Naruto strode past Ino, who didn't seem to be in the same state as her teammates. Ino was helping Sakura to her feet and watching in awe.

Zaku, the object of Naruto's current ire, thrust his hands forward and concentrated as much chakra as he could spare into his arms. "DIE!!" he yelled. "Zankuukyokuha!!" A blast of wind and air pressure, much larger than the first one he had sent at Sasuke, shot forth and blasted forward, all of its power ripping up earth and dust.

Naruto, seeing the blast coming, stood upright and inhaled deeply. When he shot his head forward, he issued forth a massive roar; a roar that reverberated throughout the area and reflected his anger at the brazen Oto-nin who would dare to lay hands on his mate.

The roar was a sonic roar, as it appeared, for it had completely dispelled Zaku's Ultimate Air Slice and slammed into the stunned Oto-nin with equal and terrible force. Zaku screamed out in pain as he flew backwards and slammed into a tree, the force of the sonic roar pinning him to the tree until Naruto ceased his attack.

The force of the roar was so great that it moved the fear-struck shinobi present backwards from their original spots. "What… what the hell is he?" said Neji as he pulled Tenten up.

Zaku fell from the tree onto his knees. He looked up to see Naruto crouching in front of Sakura and Ino, and his rage fueled his body. "I'm gonna kill you!" he yelled, and rushed the Konoha-nin, pulling out two hooked, serrated kunai.

"Zaku, stop!" yelled Dosu, but his teammate ignored him. 'This guy…' thought Dosu, casting a fear-stricken eye on Naruto. 'This guy is horrifying!'

Zaku was halfway to Naruto before said shinobi jumped at Zaku and kicked him in his chin. Zaku began to fly backwards, but Naruto wasn't finished with him yet. The enraged Uzumaki snarled, and delivered a heel drop to Zaku's sternum, causing the Oto-nin to slam into the ground, gasping for breath.

Frantically trying to stand and breath, Zaku looked up to see Naruto deliver a swift roundhouse kick, which he tried to block with both arms.

Big mistake.

The sound of cracking bone filled the area, as Zaku fell to his knees, crying out in pain at his broken arms. Naruto wasn't done with him yet, and he kicked Zaku in his ribs, sending the Oto-nin sideways to the base of a tree.

Dosu knew that Uzumaki was a threat when he first saw him, and now he knew that he and his teammates were effectively screwed. Uzumaki was out for blood, and he knew that he and Kin were next on his blacklist.

Naruto stalked towards Zaku like a hunter, when he came across a wide-eyed, hyperventilating Kin. No doubt she thought she was going to get the same treatment as Zaku. But within her, she felt a warmth seep from somewhere within her… she wasn't sure what it was.

In any case, she wasn't in Naruto's blacklist. Naruto gently nudged the female Oto-nin aside (said female Oto-nin growing calm), and continued toward the gasping Zaku. He extended his claws and let a growl escape his throat. "You wanted to hurt… my Sakura-chan…" he growled out. Raising his clawed hand, ready to rip out Zaku's throat, he gazed down at the wide-eyed gasping Oto-nin. "Shi ne…"

He was grabbed from behind by two sets of arms; one set held his raised arm, the other set held his other arm. He sniffed, and detected the feminine scents, and cast a red eye to see… Sakura and Ino.

"Naruto-kun," said Sakura a lone tear streaming down her face as she wrapped her arms around him. "Please… stop," finished Ino, to her own amazement. "You've beaten him, and saved us. Please…"

Dosu watched as the two kunoichi held onto Uzumaki, and breathed a sigh of relief when the red chakra he was venting disappeared. 'Looks like we're safe… for now,' he thought. "You're strong," he said out loud, slowly approaching them.

"Does this guy have a death wish?" asked Chouji to Shikamaru.

"No," said Shikamaru. "This fight's done."

Meanwhile, Dosu had stopped five feet away from Naruto and his girl(s), and put down an Earth Scroll. "This is a token of our gratitude, for letting us live," he said as he turned away and picked up Kin. She was still hurt from Zaku's attack. Speaking of which…

Zaku was helped up later, and limped with an arm over Dosu's shoulder. Zaku glared tiredly at Naruto, who glared right back. "You owe Sakura-chan and Ino-chan your life…" said the Uzumaki, retracting his claws. "Next time… I may not stop."

"Be that as it may," said Dosu, maintaining a safe distance away while moving his teammates. "There's something we must find out. But should we meet again, we will not run." Turning away, he heard Sakura shout out something about Orochimaru. "We were just following orders… and he ordered us to kill your teammates." 'But why give the Uchiha the Curse Seal?' he asked in his head. 'Something's not right about this…' And with that, the Oto-nin disappeared.

Neji watched with apprehension as Naruto fell to his knees, supported by Sakura and Ino. 'He's no mere dead last…' thought the stoic Hyuuga. 'And that red chakra…'

At that point, Sasuke chose to come to. The Curse Seal covering his left side, he stood and glared at Naruto, his chakra spike catching everyone's attention. "Dobe…" he called. "Fight me."

Naruto went into his defensive state and growled. "I'm in no mood for your games, Sasuke-teme," he snarled. "You don't want to mess with me right now."

Sasuke chuckled and said, "I'm an Avenger. I have to gain power to kill _that_ man. And this power… I can test it against you." He went through a flurry of seals, ending in Tiger. "Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!!" He exhaled a giant fireball that raced towards Naruto and his girl(s).

Naruto grabbed Sakura and Ino around their waists, and ignoring their startled yelps, jumped to the side to avoid the incoming projectile. Setting them down next to Shikamaru and Chouji, he rushed at Sasuke, and before the Uchiha could react, Naruto gave him a crushing blow that knocked him into the tree he hit before and out of consciousness.

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When Sasuke came to, he sat up and immediately clutched his head. "Urgh… my head…"

"Morning, sunshine."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, and he glared at his blonde teammate. "Don't call me that," he snapped. He then saw Ino and Sakura doing something to Naruto's head. "What are they doing?"

Naruto reached behind his back and pulled a thick strand of hair. "When those Oto-nin decided to attack, and I went all feral on that Kakashi-wannabe, I noticed that my hair had lengthened considerably. So, Ino-chan said that she'd put it in a ponytail for guys. Sakura-chan just likes playing with my hair."

Sasuke ignored the two kunoichi's blushes, and took note of Chouji and Shikamaru. "Why are they here?"

Naruto grinned, baring his fangs and said, "Strength in numbers. Both of our teams have equal scrolls, so we decided to join forces on the way to the tower. Now all we have to do is meet up with Team 8 and the Rookie Nine is set…"

Sasuke snorted. "Did you get hit in the head? That Orochimaru guy burned our Heaven Scroll." He sputtered when Naruto held up a Heaven Scroll. "How… when…?"

"I switched the scroll and made a clone of it, and gave you the clone," said Naruto. "Gotta love the versatility of Kage Bunshin…"

Shikamaru cleared his throat. "Naruto, what happened with you? You were nothing like this back in the academy…"

Ino nodded and added, "I was wondering that myself."

Naruto looked at Sakura and she nodded. Naruto let out of a small sigh and patted his giant scroll next to him. "This scroll… contains my clan history, and all their knowledge. Only a member of the clan can read from the scroll, and I'm the last one."

That set a somber mood. Naruto perked up grinning and said, "That's why, my dreams are to be Hokage and rebuild my clan!"

Seeing how Team 10 accepted this answer, he thought to himself, 'But still… something happened to me when I tried to transfer the Kyuubi. I can ask Haku-chan if she can check my blood… yippee… more things involving blood…'

"In any case," said Shikamaru, standing up. "We only have two more days to get to the tower. We could go now, or search for Team 8 and make for the tower with due haste."

"In any event," added Sasuke. "I think that if we go now, then we'll be there two days before the deadline. If we start looking for them, then we could risk getting to the tower too late."

"True," said Naruto. "But at least if we get attacked, it'll be nine-on-three."

Sasuke sighed in defeat. "Okay, let's get started then."

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It was nearing sunset, and the six Genin still hadn't found Team 8. They were leaping through the trees, and finally came to a rest at a clearing. "Like I said," said Sasuke as he landed in front of a tree. "We've wasted a day, and now we're pressed for time."

"Oh, shut up," muttered Naruto as he pulled off his scroll. "We're only 4 kilometers away from the tower, so we could go there whenever we're ready."

"Looks like Team 8 might not get through this," said Shikamaru lying on his back, catching his breath.

"Don't count us out yet!" came a voice from the trees. And in front of them dropped Kiba, Hinata, and Shino; all looking relatively unharmed for three days in the Forest of Death. Kiba stepped forward, Akamaru quivering in his parka. "You guys don't look so good," he said, raising an eyebrow.

"And you look and smell like crap," muttered Naruto under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," said Naruto to the glaring Kiba. "What's got your owner so spooked?"

Kiba growled. "How many times do I have to tell you that Akamaru's not my owner, he's my partner!?"

"You have to show me first," retorted Naruto.

"Cut it out, you two," said Sasuke, playing the mediator for once. "We need to get to that tower as soon as possible, and the two of you yelling is gonna bring unwanted company here, so shut it. Now we need to go..."

"In the morning," said Shikamaru as he used a lighter to light a fire in the rapidly increasing darkness. "I doubt that any of you have night vision, and this is the only real time where we can rest. Just like the other teams."

Staring at the shadow user, the two males turned away and sat as far from each other as possible. "S-so," said Hinata, trying to break the ice, "how has everyone done s-so far?"

"Well," said Shikamaru, lying on his side, "we managed to get both scrolls by the second day, and we ended up saving Team 7's hides from a bunch of Oto-nin…"

Kiba snorted. "Damn, you guys…"

"Shove it, Kiba," said Naruto, his eyes closed and his head in Sakura's lap. He wanted it to be Hinata-chan's lap, but they had to hold the image for a little while longer. But he still didn't mind. 'Yeah… Sakura-chan and Hinata-chan… I don't think I could live without them…' "You can blame a conniving snake in the grass for that…"

Whether the innuendo was intentional or not, Hinata and Ino still reddened. "Naruto-kun, be nice," said Sakura, stroking his hair.

Ignoring his teammates quip, Sasuke sat back. "To the matter at hand, who's going to take first watch?"

"I'll do it," said Naruto, standing up. Delivering a thumbs-up, he disappeared into the trees within seconds.

After a moment of silence, the Genin began to do their own things; Shino and Sasuke began to meditate, Chouji whipped out a bag of potato chips, Shikamaru went to sleep, Hinata started to do some scouting up in a tree, and Kiba began to recount his tale of Team 8's encounter with a trio of BSDM Ame-nin (the Ame-nin that Team 7 was supposed to fight, the one's with the oxygen masks and the jumpsuits). While Kiba was talking, Ino turned to Sakura and whispered, "So, when did you hook up with Naruto?"

Sakura giggled and said, "During our mission to Nami no Kuni… he was there for me, and he was ready and willing to defend my honor."

Ino nodded. "But why did you drop Sasuke? He's strong, and cute, and…"

"A total prick," finished Sakura dryly. When Ino was about to protest, Sakura raised an arm and cut her off. "Ino, I have to say this. Sasuke may be strong and cute, but he's a total asshole. Do you know that he told me to my face that I was a waste of space?"

That Ino didn't know, and she was mad. "That little…"

Sakura held Ino back. "No, no, Naruto-kun got him for that. Besides," she trailed off, blushing lightly. "He's everything a girl could want… strong, sweet, protective, and gentle…"

Ino looked at the meditating Sasuke. Now that she thought about it, Sasuke was always just concerned with himself and no one else. And then there was that purple chakra he was giving off at the Oto-nin fight... it made her feel ill and violated. But Naruto gave off red chakra, and she didn't feel anything but warmth from him…

"Ino," said Sakura resting against a tree. "If you still want Sasuke, then be my guest… you can have him. I just want you to know that I'm happy with Naruto-kun, and there may be the chance that you could find one for you when the time comes…"

With that Sakura closed her eyes and Ino knew she wasn't getting anything else out of the pink-haired kunoichi.

Ino sat there pondering what Sakura had told her. Even though she had tried to deny it in her head, she knew that Sakura was right about her points. Sasuke was a selfish asshole, and she was pretty sure he was either gay or not interested in anyone. After all, what guy in their right mind would pass up a horde of girls throwing themselves at him?

That brought her to Naruto. He was a total jackass when she first saw him, and her mother hated the boy. Her father seemed to be more level-headed, and she noticed that he would tolerate him whenever he saw him. Though she was now thinking that Naruto being a dolt was an act, and that the one in the forest was the real Naruto.

Her mind jumbled, Ino decided to make the most of the night and sleep, thinking of what the next day would bring.

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When Ino woke up, she saw that the sun had just risen, bathing the Rookie Nine in its warm orange rays. She could see Kiba and Akamaru curled up near the now-smoldering fire, Sasuke meditating while sitting upside down in a tree, Sakura sleeping in a tree, Shikamaru and Chouji playing Shougi (WTF?), and Shino looking over the clearing like a sentry.

"Where's Naruto and Hinata?" she asked Shikamaru.

"Naruto's still scouting, so Hinata went to go get him something to eat. The rest of us up had energy bars, and as soon as Sakura wakes up, we're going to the tower."

Ino nodded. "Well," she said, standing up. "I'm gonna go find Naruto and Hinata. I'll be back in a few." When Shikamaru waved her off, her left eyebrow twitched and she left, muttering something about "lazy shadow-users".

As Ino walked through the dense bush, she heard the trickling of running water. 'Oh good,' she thought, moving a bit faster. 'A river. While I find Hinata and Naruto, I can wash my face, too.' Before long, she found the river, and when she was about to make her way to the refreshing water, she stopped. Tilting her head, she listened harder.

She could swear that she could hear voices. Crouching, she stealthily crept to a point where they were clearer. Now she was certain she could hear voices. It sounded like… gasping.

Her heart racing, she slowly parted the brush to clear her vision, and what she saw made her jaw drop.

She found Naruto and Hinata, but that wasn't what made her gaze in shock and awe.

Naruto was naked as the day he was born, and he had his arms around an equally naked Hinata in his lap, kissing him deeply as she sat in his lap, her legs wrapped around his waist and gasping as she rose and fell slightly. The duo's clothes were in a heap beside them, and they were sitting near the water's edge.

Ino blushed realizing at once what they were doing. 'B-but they're too young for that!' she thought frantically, her mind racing through the events of the previous night, trying to find some event that could have revealed them…

Another thought wove its way into her head, and she began to tremble with rage. Naruto was cheating on Sakura! That skank Hinata had seduced Naruto somehow, and he was having his merry way with the shy Hyuuga, which Ino was sure had been a mask.

She was cast out of her thoughts by a loud gasp. She glanced back to see Hinata panting heavily, and Naruto had his head buried against her chest. Ino crept closer, so she could confront the two. She was startled by what she heard.

"Hinata-chan…" said Naruto, lifting his head and gazing at her. "You and Sakura-chan complete me, a simple one trying to make his way through life… I'm not sure that I'd be able to control myself if…"

Hinata cut him of with a deep kiss. When she separated, she said, "I know, Naruto-kun… and I also know that I feel the same way towards you." Smiling, she stood up, revealing her naked glory to her Naruto-kun, who stood up and kissed her softly.

Separating, Hinata picked up her clothes, and started to dress. "Naruto-kun…" she said to her dressing mate. "Sakura-chan spoke to me last night."

Ino frowned. That would explain how she ended up in the tree, but it still didn't explain why she would talk to Hinata…

"Sakura-chan said that Ino-chan has seen the true Sasuke, and she's wants to find the one for her," said Hinata as she tied her obi. Slipping on her sandals, the Hyuuga heiress continued. "I think that Ino-chan deserves to be happy, don't you?"

Naruto nodded. "But Ino-chan doesn't know the current terms we're in," he said frowning. "I don't want to force her into anything, that's not my shinobi way…"

Hinata smiled warmly. "I think she'd understand," said the heiress as she turned to walk. Before she did, she said to Naruto, "You have three beautiful kunoichi that love you… you know it may come to be more, yes?"

Naruto grinned shyly, and nodded. Blowing a kiss to Hinata, he chuckled as she reddened and jumped away. When she was gone, Naruto turned to the bushes and said, "Come out… Ino-chan…"

Ino, who had been taking all this in, stiffened when she heard him call her. Thinking that he was bluffing, she stayed still, but then she felt someone grab her from behind. Gasping, she lashed out with lightening reflexes, and caught the offender in the face… The offender went poof.

She grimaced. Naruto had sent a Kage Bunshin and she had revealed herself. So, resigning herself, she walked out a stood before the shirtless Naruto. Unconsciously, she licked her lips at his physique. Kami-sama, he was built well, for someone her age…

Shaking her head, she cast her first few questions at Naruto. "What's going on? Why… no, how can you be with three girls at once?"

Naruto grinned dryly. "Let's just say that Sasuke and me are not so different in some respects."

That made Ino gaze at him impassively. "You mean… you both have doujutsus?"

Naruto nodded. "And we're the last of our respective clans."

Ino covered her mouth. "G-gomen nasai, Naruto…"

Naruto grinning slyly. "Don't be. It gives me drive; to rebuild my clan and to prove myself to my dearly-departed ancestors."

Ino nodded and kneeled. "But, why do you… sorry, how do you have three girlfriends?"

"I didn't do anything to them… I just, well, I just dropped the mask of the idiot when I found out about my clan, and I actually got jumped by Hinata, to be truthful…"

Ino's laughed. "Well, she did have a crush on you…"

Naruto laughed with her. "Yeah, I'm just mad that I didn't pick up on it earlier. Though," he said, rubbing his chin. "In the end, I won and Hinata-chan won… Hinata-chan claimed me, and I claimed her and Sakura-chan…"

"But who's the third girl?" asked Ino.

Naruto closed his eyes. "Haku-chan's the last of her clan, too. Her clan was wiped out in Kirigakure, all because they had Kekkai Genkai. She roamed with Momochi Zabuza, and she came to Konoha with us after he died."

Ino's eyes widened. "So… you do have…"

Naruto put a finger to her lips. "That would spoil the surprise," he said grinning.

Little did he know that his touch was causing Ino to grow heated like Sakura and Hinata before her. She reddened slightly, then stood up and turned around. "I came out because we're getting ready to leave for the tower…" she said, trying to fight off her blush. She gasped when Naruto's arms wrapped around her waist.

"Hmm…" Ino stiffened, feeling Naruto's hot breath across her neck, raising goose-bumps. "You seem tense…"

Ino, reddening, stuttered out, "T-tense? I'm not tense! I'm relaxed… yeah, relaxed as I can be…" She trailed off, knowing full well that she was feeling increasingly horny, and Naruto's proximity to her was making it worse.

Naruto chuckled, then furrowed his brow. Looking to the treetops, he muttered to himself, "Honey smell… Does Ino-chan like me, too?"

As innocent as his question seemed, Ino knew that she had gone beyond the brink now. 'So,' she thought to herself, 'Naruto-kun wants to rebuild his clan, huh? Well… for some obscure reason, I think I'll just need to help him with it.' Cackling evilly inside her head, she turned around to face Naruto. "So," she said, a daring gleam in her eye. "You're rebuilding your clan, yes?"

Naruto, getting a vague idea of where this was going, nodded. "Yeah…"

Ino giggled, and kissed him lightly. "Well…" she said. "I've been thinking about it, and I think I like you more than Sasuke…"

Naruto tilted his head. "But, I though you liked Sasuke…"

Ino cut him off with another kiss, and this time, he fell into it. "Forget Sasuke," she whispered against his lips. "I want to join Sakura, Hinata, and that Haku girl… I want to join your clan, Naruto."

Naruto's response was his busy hands roaming down her back, before one found its way into her bandages around her pelvic area. Gasping as she felt his fingers brushing against her moistened petals, she moaned as he kissed her neck and sucked on the flesh of her throat.

**((IT'S THAT TIME ONCE AGAIN. I ASK THAT ALL WHO DON'T WANT TO READ THE FOLLOWING LEMON SKIP IT ALTOGETHER, BECAUSE AFTER THE LEMON, THE STORY WILL COMMENCE. ANYWAY, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, HERE IS THE THIRD LEMON OF **WINDOWS OF THE SOUL.

Ino gasped and moaned as Naruto used his free hand to move her top up, revealing her nice-sized breasts. Ino blushed, then gasped as Naruto's mouth found it's way to one of her erect nipples. Astonished by these foreign feeling in her, Ino held his head in place as he continued to please her, whispering, "Don't stop, Naruto-kun… please don't stop…"

When Naruto's head rose, she moaned in protest. But then she felt something long, hard, and very warm brushing up against her entrance. Moaning as Naruto kept teasing her, Ino felt it part her delicate folds and gasped loudly as she felt it touch her inner wall.

Feeling Naruto resist, she held onto him and kissed him, while pushing herself against him at the same time, taking his manhood within her and losing her virginity to him. She yelped into his mouth, and let a few tears stream from her eyes. As she felt Naruto begin to move, she drew back and let out gasps of pleasure. She wrapped her arms around his neck and let him slip an arm under her leg, and she moaned her pleasure and joy to the trees.

**((END OF LEMON. I APOLOGIZE FOR THE SHORTNESS, BUT I'M PROBABLY ON THIN ICE ALREADY JUST WITH THIS SHORT ONE…))**

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"Where's Naruto-kun and Ino?" asked Sakura when she had woken up.

"N-Naruto-kun s-said that he'd make s-some last minute surveys to s-see if the way was clear," stuttered Hinata, putting up a front.

"I say leave him," said Kiba, ready to go. "Time's a-wastin', and we need to get to that tower."

"We can't just leave him," said Shikamaru, as much as he wanted to leave. "He's probably on his way back with Ino."

"Even so," said Sasuke. "We're loosing time. If he's not back in ten minutes, then he'll have to meet us at the tower."

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"Hot stuff," gasped Ino on her hands and knees as she felt Naruto throbbing within her, then slowly withdraw when she felt a searing warmth within her. "Hot stuff… my stomach feels warm…"

Ino yelped when Naruto pulled her up and hugged her from behind. "Ino-chan…" purred Naruto and he nuzzled her. "You are part of my family now, and I'll protect you…"

Ino blushed. "Arigatou, Naruto-kun," she purred back. Looking down, she saw that if anyone showed up and saw her and Naruto, a lot of questions would be asked… a lot of questions which didn't need to be answered. "Naruto-kun," she said, pulling her top into place, "you should get dressed."

While Naruto pulled on his clothes and his scroll, Ino rewrapped her bandages. 'There,' she thought, satisfied with her work. 'Now no one can tell the difference.'

"Kukukukuku…"

Naruto spun around and went into his defensive state, growling as he stood in front of Ino. Ino was startled and was about to ask, when two shinobi appeared before them on the river water.

The first was wearing a strange mask on his face, with narrow slits for eyes and stitches over the mouth. He had a thick obi around his waist, and wore a black kimono top and black Jounin pants. He also had fingerless gloves and a netted shirt, and his nails had been fashioned into claws.

The second was wearing a basa (cone straw hat), a tattered black cloak, and baggy black pants. He had no mask, but his face was one akin to Morino Ibiki's. He was the one who had laughed.

"Look at what we have here," the masked nin said, glaring down at Ino and Naruto. "Two little Rookies lost in the forest."

"Too bad for them," said his partner, drawing a sword from around his back. "We have orders to end you, Uzumaki Naruto."

While Ino clutched at him in fear, Naruto snarled at the two. "You two stink of snakes… your orders came from Orochimaru, didn't they?"

The masked nin laughed, his laughter sounding like a demon's. "Correct," he said, crouching. "Too bad you have to die…"

Naruto had had enough. He wanted to get the hell out of this forest, and now this was like his birthday all over again. Just two more people who wanted to kill him, except this time, he was through being the passive, happy-go-lucky, ignorant child who'd let this go.

"Grab on, Ino-chan," he whispered. When he felt Ino get on his back, just barely riding his scroll, his raised his hands in a familiar half-Ram Seal as the two henchmen of Orochimaru charged him. The one with the basa inhaled, then exhaled a purple mist. "Dokugiri (Poison Mist)!!"

"Ninpou: Kirigakure no Jutsu!" said Naruto as the poison gas approached. The two Oto-nin (for lack of better term) looked around. "A cheap trick," said the basa-wearer. "Nothing's going to save you two…"

The two of them felt a surge of chakra all around them, then the basa-wearer let out a scream of pain. His masked partner looked beside him to see Naruto appear out of nowhere with a giant sword and cut the basa-wearer in two at the stomach. As the mist cleared, the two halves of the basa-wearer fell to the ground with a sickening wet sound.

"Kubikiri Houcho," gasped the masked nin, then he chuckled. "So, you did beat Momochi Zabuza…"

Naruto had the heavy sword in front of him, wielding it like a hammer. "I didn't beat him," said Naruto, reassuring Ino at the same time. "He gave it to me before he died as a gift."

"Bah," said the masked nin. "It matters not. The two of you will die here, and so will the rest of your friends." With that, the masked nin removed his mask, revealing his true face and making Naruto and Ino recoil in horror.

The Oto-nin's face was pale and gaunt, but that was not the true horror. No, the true horror was that the Oto-nin had surgically removed his eyelids and nose, and parts of his lips. His face was now a grinning skin-covered skull, and his eyes were dark red with an amber yellow iris. The Oto-nin grinned even more gruesomely and shot his head forward.

Naruto jumped out of the way as a stream of fire erupted from the Oto-nin's mouth, burning the ground that he was just on. "This is like something out of an unreal yet somewhat familiar game," he muttered.

The Oto-nin shut off his fire, and Naruto could see a double-holed tube in his mouth. "So that's it," he muttered. "Naruto-kun," said Ino, "What are you going to do?"

"Hang on, Ino-chan," said Naruto as he rushed the Oto-nin. The Oto-nin shot another stream of fire at them and Naruto jumped over the Oto-nin just as the fire reached them. With the weight of Zabuza's sword making it harder, Naruto threw it at the Oto-nin.

The Oto-nin saw it coming and jumped aside, looked to Naruto and Ino, and opened his mouth the fry the two Genin. Unfortunately, that was what Naruto was waiting for.

Naruto drew a kunai with an exploding tag, and threw it as hard as he could as the fire-breathing Oto-nin. It hit the Oto-nin in the tube, and the fire-breather gagged, his eyes widening even further. But his fate was sealed.

Naruto put his hands in the Tiger Seal, and roared, "KATSU!!"

The Oto-nin's upper body disappeared in a flash and a bang, and was replaced with a cloud of red. The ground and the trees were covered in the Oto-nin's gore, and the remaining part of the Oto-nin fell to the ground, revealing a bag within the Oto-nin's stomach.

Naruto had covered Ino's eyes, and let himself grow back to normal. "I'm sorry you had to see that," he said, grabbing the Oto-nin's mask and the other nin's sword. He then resealed Kubikiri Houcho

"It's okay," she said shaking, trying not to gag. "Please, get me out of here, though…"

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"It's been ten minutes," said Kiba, standing. "Let's go."

"Wait," said Shino. "There's two shinobi… one male, one female… both smelling of blood."

'Way to point out the obvious, Shino-san," said Naruto as he dropped down, with Ino next to him.

"What the hell took you so long?" snapped Sasuke, and he blanched when Naruto held up his trophies; the mask and the blade. "That snake in the grass has a contract out on me," growled Naruto. "We need to move."

With that, the three teams made toward the tower like the hounds of hell were on their tails. As they leapt through the trees, Ino asked the question that was on everyone's minds. "Naruto-kun, who was that Orochimaru guy that those Oto-nin were talking about?"

Sakura and Sasuke grimaced. They never wanted to hear of him again, and already things weren't going well. The way they figured things would go, they would see him again.

"Orochimaru's one of the former students of Sandaime-jiji," said Naruto as the three Genin teams approached the tower. "Apparently, he went nuke-nin a while back, so now he's an S-Rank Nuke-nin. He was here because he said something about wanting Sasuke, but my memory's a bit fuzzy from our fight…"

That was a revelation to the other six. "Y-you fought a S-rank shinobi and got away!?" exclaimed Kiba, now reevaluating his view of the feral blonde.

"Barely," said Sakura. "Now let's get to the tower, I don't want to be out here any longer."

Nodding his assent, Naruto led the way to the tower, which now stood before them. When they approached, they saw the arriving Kabuto and his two masked teammates. Aside from the similar outfits, the only differences between Kabuto's teammate were that one wore regular glasses, and the other wore sunglasses. "Looks like we have some last minute stragglers," said the sunglasses wearer in a deep voice.

"Just in time, too," said Kabuto, grinning and waving at them. "We're done here, so we're gonna go. Catch you guys later!"

With that, Kabuto and his teammates entered through a set of double doors. Naruto, who had gone defensive, relaxed and pointed to another set. "I guess these are ours," he said.

Taking in a deep breath, the leaders of the three Genin teams (Team 7: Naruto; Team 8: Kiba; Team 10: Ino) entered through the doors and came face-to-face with… an inscription on the far wall.

Naruto and Kiba broke the silence. "What the hell is this!?" they both yelled.

"It looks like an inscription," said Sakura, crossing her arms.

"B-but it looks like w-words are m-missing," said Hinata.

"To fill in the words…" muttered Shikamaru, looking at his scroll. "Guys, I think we have to open the scrolls."

After some thought, the rest came to the same conclusion. As one, the leaders and the second-in-commands (Team 7: Sasuke; Team 8: Hinata; Team 10: Shikamaru) opened the scrolls. The scrolls had a single kanji in the center… "Jin" (Person). As they muttered on what that meant, the kanji began to smoke.

"Drop them!" exclaimed Sasuke, who recognized the ornate symbols around the kanji. "It's a Summoning Technique! Throw 'em!"

Like lightening, the Genin holding the scrolls threw them away, and as the scrolls landed nest to each other, there was an explosion of smoke. As a figure in the smoke appeared, the Genin went on the defensive, wondering what this new devilry could be. The smoke cleared, to reveal…

"Yo!" said Iruka, grinning broadly. "Long time, no see." Taking advantage of the Rookie Nine's amazement, Iruka drawled out, "You guys look like you've been through hell."

"What the hell are you doing here!?" yelled Kiba. "Why were you summoned?"

Iruka chuckled and said, "At the end of the Second Exam, it's set up so that we Chuunin can meet of with the exam takers. It's just sheer luck that I was assigned to meet you guys." Checking a pocket watch he had, he added, "And you've got roughly most of the day left. All nine of you pass… congrats."

"What was the point of the scrolls, then?" asked Ino. "If we had opened them then, then…?"

"He probably would have knocked out whoever opened them," said Sasuke, falling on one knee.

"Correct," said Iruka, picking up the scrolls. "The way this test was set up was to test your abilities to follow the rules. So anyone that opened the scrolls before reaching the tower were knocked unconscious and forced to exit the Exam."

"Ano, sensei," said Hinata, pointing to the writing on the wall. "What does that mean?"

'Mene mene tekel upharsim…' thought Iruka, laughing in his head at his poorly made Western joke, but he said "That is the motto of the Chuunin, written by Hokage-sama himself. Basically, to become a Chuunin requires wisdom and strength. If you have both, then you can succeed in the most dangerous of situations. Finally, the kanji 'Jin' for the scrolls… it goes with the phrase 'These will guide a person's extremes'."

"So," said Shikamaru, bowing his head and crossing his arms, "The five days we were assigned were testing our basic abilities?"

Iruka nodded. "Correct, and all of you pass. Chuunin have the rank of Military Commander; and mind, body, and inner wisdom are needed for your duties. I want you guys to challenge the rest of the Exam with this motto in mind."

Seeing the Genin in deep thought, he chuckled light-heartedly. "Don't push yourselves. This may be all that I have to pass on, but try your best, and give it your all without pushing yourselves to the brink of destruction." With that he gave the Rookies, his former students, a big thumbs-up.

xxxxxxxxxxx

"Well," said Sakura, reclining on a couch with the other Rookies. "We've got several hours to kill… what do you want to do?"

"I'm going to go see if there are any strong opponents here," said Sasuke as he stood up and walked away.

"Me and my _partner _Akamaru," said Kiba, glaring at Naruto as he said _partner_, "are gonna go scout for opponents, so we'll know who to be wary of, like that raccoon-eyed Suna-nin…"

"I'm going wandering," said Naruto, and he secured his scroll onto his back, then walked out the door and into the hall.

Naruto soon found himself walking down an empty corridor. "Where is everybody?" he muttered. As he kept walking, he found light streaming through a doorway. Looking out of it, he saw the shapely figure of one Tsuchi Kin, looking over the balcony at the forest below.

Kin was absorbed in her own thoughts, when she heard someone behind her say, "Kon." She spun around and drew a kunai, but relaxed when she saw Naruto, his hands raised in defense. "Don't do that," she said, putting the kunai away.

"Gomen," said Naruto, as he stood beside her. "I'm Naruto, what's on your mind?"

"I'm Kin, and it's nothing that concerns you," said Kin, her eyes on the forest. Naruto said something, which made her turn to him. "What was that?"

"Lovely view, I said," said the blonde to the brunette. Smiling warmly, he urged her, "Talk to me… I may be of some help."

Kin didn't know why, but she felt at ease with this Konoha-nin around. She was sure that it might have been due to the fact that she always was on guard around her teammates, but she shrugged it off because when she was with her teammates, there was always the threat of… that, with them being so rowdy. "I don't think you can help me," she said, shaking her head.

When Naruto motioned for her to continue, Kin shook her head. "You're a strange one, you know that?"

"Yeah," said Naruto jokingly as he rubbed his head. "But I'm also a good listener."

Kin sighed. Since he wasn't leaving, she thought that it would be okay for him to listen. "I'm probably going to die after this exam," she said.

"W-What!?" exclaimed Naruto, startled. "Why!?"

Kin laughed bitterly. "I'm pretty much useless to my team and my master. You see, my master wanted the ultimate shinobi, so he kidnapped some thirty baby orphans and injected them with genes from two clans… the Kaguya from Kirigakure and the Uchiha from Konoha."

Naruto lowered his eyes, catching her drift. "And you were one of them…"

Kin nodded, smiling grimly. "Yes, I was… and I was the only one to survive the process, too. My master was pleased with that, but he grew weary when the years went by and I showed no change, no sign that I inherited the two Kekkai Genkai. Soon, he abandoned me altogether, and I became a Genin of Otogakure, existing for the sole purpose of serving my master."

Naruto stood there thinking. "Kin," he said slowly, his eyes growing slits. "By any chance, would your master be Orochimaru?"

Kin glanced at him, startled. "How…?"

"Your teammate Dosu," said Naruto, glaring into the forest. "But that makes no sense. How would he have gotten Uchiha blood?"

"The Kyuubi attack," said Kin. When Naruto cast shocked eyes at her, she scoffed. "You didn't think no one else would hear about it, did you? Orochimaru would go on about how he would finish the Kyuubi's job and destroy Konoha."

"Anyway, there you have it. I'm a failed experiment, only useful for Genjutsu and cannon fodder. Orochimaru is sure that even as a carrier of the Uchiha and Kaguya bloodlines, there's a chance I won't pass them on, with them being artificial…" Kin was cut off by a hug from Naruto. "What…?"

"I may not have known you, but I can tell you that you're not useless," he said, growling at the thought of the Hebi-Sennin. "Anyone who can use sound as a weapon is dangerous enough, so I can tell you that you are not useless."

Kin, who had grown comfortable in Naruto's arms, reddened slightly. "You're just saying that to be nice."

"No, I'm not," said Naruto, looking her in the eye. "I mean it… everyone has some skills to them, like Sakura-chan being an expert with Chakra Control, and Haku-chan with her Hyouton Kekkai Genkai."

'Hyouton?' thought Kin, as she tried to push against Naruto to free herself. As far as she thought, he was getting too touchy-feely right now, but he _was_ a good listener. She stiffened as she felt his chest muscles. 'Calm down, Kin,' she thought in her head. 'He's a Konoha-nin, the enemy. Although…'

Naruto looked down when Kin tried to free herself, and let her go. "Sorry, didn't mean to keep you," he said. "But, I will make sure that Orochimaru pays for his crimes," he said with conviction. "Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but he will pay. And I'll make sure that you don't die either, Kin-chan."

Kin felt her heart race when Naruto called her "Kin-chan". 'Why do I feel like this?' she thought, blushing. 'We just met, and yet, he wants to protect me… like those two kunoichi Zaku wanted? What have you done to me, Uzumaki Naruto?'

Naruto tilted his head as Kin looked down, reddening. "Ano… you okay?" he asked, gently shaking her shoulder. When she looked up, Naruto jumped at the fierce look in her eyes.

'Uh-oh...'

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Leaving a sleeping Akamaru with the others, Kiba walked down the halls, musing over the other male Genin. Shikamaru and Chouji were okay, and Shino was still creepy; even though they had been teammates for a while. He detested Sasuke and his emo-ness, and he loathed Naruto for reasons unknown… maybe due to his newfound popularity. Contrary to what Naruto kept implying, he (Kiba) wasn't an idiot. He could smell the musk of Naruto on Ino and Sakura, and that meant that he had more than likely mated with the two.

Kiba absently rubbed scratched his hair, which was short and spiky; somewhat like a brown version of Naruto's. At least Naruto hadn't realized that Hinata had feelings for him. Kiba snickered, the way that idiot was, Hinata would come to her senses eventually, and run to "Kiba-kun" for support, and then… Kiba giggled perversely at the thought of him and Hinata rutting like dogs on a moonlight night. Since he was the Inuzuka clan heir, it would be acceptable for him and Hinata to be together… although he wouldn't take her just _yet_. Better to wait until he reached Chuunin…

"Ahh…"

Kiba stiffened, hearing a distinctly feminine voice in the silence. It came from somewhere down the hall. Putting his hands in the Tiger Seal, he discreetly muttering, "Shikakyuu no Jutsu," and stealthily crept down the hall in a doglike gait.

"Mmm…"

The feminine voice was coming from around the corner. Kiba slowly peeked around the corner to see an entrance. He crept over to the entrance, peeked, and gaped in awe.

He could see the gasping and moaning female was that female Oto-nin, with her arms and bare legs wrapped around the waist of a spiky-haired blonde with a long ponytail and his pants around his knees with his hips moving back and forth in rhythm…

Kiba's eyes widened, then he grinned evilly when the Oto-nin gasped out, "Naruto-kun…" and clutched the revealed blonde to her, and Naruto held her to him, gasping out, "Kin-chan…"

Kiba pulled himself away from the sight and leaned against the wall, rubbing his hands in glee. This is exactly what he was looking for; this would drive Hinata to him for comfort. When sweet little Hinata-chan found out that the blonde she adored was a man-whore to three other girls, she would be devastated. She would drop the blonde, and then, she would be his, just like he planned. He snickered as he stealthily crept away, intent on finding Hinata and letting her know.

Kiba was so busy absorbed in his thoughts that he failed to see the object of his desire silently watched from behind a statue, her dark blue blending in with the shadows of the statue. She shook her head, smiling sadly. 'Ah, Kiba-kun…'

xxxxxxxxxxx

Kin secured her pants and straightened her hair. She knew that she would probably catch a lot of flak from her Jounin-sensei and teammates, but she didn't care at the moment. She felt like she was reborn, and it was thanks to one Naruto…

Said Naruto pulled his scroll onto his back, then sighed. "Ano, Kin-chan? There's something I've got to tell you…"

Kin glanced over at Naruto. "Hai?"

Naruto looked down and began poking his index fingers together. "Well, uh… I'm… the last of my clan, and I've… been… buildingaharempleasedonthurtme!!" he quickly shot out that last part, and covered his face when he finished.

Kin blinked, then registered what he had said, and her eyes narrowed. "So what am I to you?" she slowly ground out.

Naruto looked up, and flinched when he saw her face. "You're a very beautiful and talented kunoichi," he said slowly. "And with your current situation, you are automatically a member of my new family. And anyone who touches my family or makes them cry, pays dearly," he growled, his thoughts turning to Orochimaru.

Kin, for her part, was satisfied. He really did care for her, and this wasn't just making her another notch on his belt. She was startled when a soft voice said, "And that is why I love you, Naruto-kun…"

Naruto fell to his knees and bowed deeply. "H-Hinata-chan!" he said.

Hinata smiled lightly and raised him up. "Stand up, Naruto-kun… I'm not your master. And you need to be more careful," she said. "You had a male voyeur present."

Kin flinched as Naruto's eyes flashed red. "I'll kill him!" he growled. "Who was it, Sasuke? One of those Oto-nin bastards!?"

"Kiba. With intent to tell me so I would cry and go to him."

Naruto relaxed. "Oh, it's just Kiba? That's alright… I'll just humiliate him, then."

Kin, for her part, was confused. "Naruto-kun," she asked, looking at Hinata. "Who's that?"

Naruto smacked himself for forgetting. "Gomen," he said, motioning. "Kin-chan, this is Hinata-chan. Hinata-chan gave me the idea of the harem. Hinata-chan, this is Kin-chan, our new family member."

Hinata and Kin shook hands. "I like you," said Hinata, tilting her head. "Welcome to the Tenmuujin Clan."

xxxxxxxxxxx

Later on, the Second Exam came to a close, and the seven teams met in the Preliminary Arena, with the Hokage, the Jounin Sensei's, and the Exam Proctors.

'78 people started out, and in the end, only 21 passed,' thought Anko as she surveyed the teams. 'When I was thinking of more than half of them failing, I was really thinking of a single digit number.'

At this point, many of the teams began having their own thoughts…

Team 10:

"I'm hungry."

"Man, I hope I don't have to fight Naruto, Sasuke, or those Oto-nin…"

'Naruto-kun! Watch me beat the competition!'

Team Gai:

At this point, Gai was telling Kakashi about how his team made it through luck, but luck wouldn't be enough to pass. When Kakashi responded with a, "Hmm, you say something, Gai?", Gai resolved to beat Kakashi another way, despite Kakashi's "damn cool, hip attitude!!"

'So that's Gai-sensei's rival? He's got Gai-sensei beat in looks, but…'

'Gai-sensei is the coolest among the teachers! He shines like the sun!' "Watch me, Gai-sensei! Watch me shine, too!"

'The ones who stand out are the ones who were left, just like I thought. Uchiha Sasuke… Uzumaki Naruto…'

Team Oto:

'…'

'Uzumaki Naruto, I will kill you, then steal your girls and keep them. This I swear on my poor arms.'

'Naruto-kun…'

The Jounin-sensei of the Oto-nin grinned evilly and gazed at his time with his darkened cat-like eyes.

Team Suna:

The Jounin-sensei of the team from Suna, Baki, glanced down at his team and thought, 'So you made it through without a scratch, Gaara…'

The only other person with any thoughts was Temari: 'Amazing. Of the twenty-six teams that went in, only seven made it here…'

Team 8:

Kurenai was confused to see Akamaru, hiding in Kiba's jacket, as opposed to on Kiba's head, where he normally would be. 'Akamaru's acting strange,' thought she.

'Those Suna-nin… must avoid… Naruto-baka… I will have Hinata-chan's heart, once she hears of your infidelity…'

'Naruto-kun… please be on guard.'

Team 7:

Looking around, Sakura said, "It looks like everyone together once again."

"Looks like everyone important is here," replied Naruto, sneaking a glance to his right. 'Blasted damned dog-boy… spy on me in my special moment, will ya…?'

Sasuke clutched his neck, and growled, "I don't have a good feeling about this though."

Back to the main view…

Sandaime surveyed the genin below him. 'Such promising candidates, and many of them are new.' Casting a sidelong glance at Kurenai, Asuma, and Kakashi, he added on a mental note, 'No wonder they were recommended.'

Anko stepped forward and spoke. "We will now have an explanation of the Third Exam by Hokage-sama."

Sandaime stood before the seven Genin teams. Clearing his throat, he began the speech he had been going over in his head.

"The Third Exam will now begin. But before the explanation, I want to make something clear to all of you. It is of this Exam's true purpose."

At the questioning looks he got, he continued. "Many of you ask, 'Why do we have a joint exam with our allied nations?' The textbook answers are, 'To maintain good relations the allied nations,' and 'To heighten the level of Shinobi'. But these are not the true answers."

"Rather, this exam is the true meaning of war between allies."

"What do you mean?" asked Tenten.

Sandaime answered, "If you look back at history, we and our neighbors fought each other repeatedly. To avoid wasting manpower and talent, each nation decided that instead of the actual battlefield…"

"… The battles would be fought through tests. And thus, the beginning of the Chuunin Selection Exam."

After Naruto threw out the question that was on everyone's minds, of whether or not the fighting was not for selection, Sandaime began again. "This exam examines those worthy of the title Chuunin. But in addition, this exam also forces the shinobi in it to fight for the honor and dignity of their village and country."

Afterward, he explained how spectators of the Third Exam often included Daimyo's who would inspect those who had shinobi in battle. This was a way for the shinobi to obtain potential clients. And in addition to the Daimyo's, the Kage of a Hidden Village would also observe the fights, to see the strength in each village. And the strongest village would be the one that would get the most missions.

Finally, the Chuunin Exams were also ways for the different villages to show their military might, as a warning to their neighbors. And when Kiba asked, "Then why do we have to fight with our lives on the line?", Sandaime simply answered, "The power of the village in reflected in the power of the country."

"To elaborate, the power of the village is based on the power of the shinobi. And only in a life-or-death situation can the true power of a shinobi be unleashed. Since you fought in such a situation, you follow the dream of those before you. And those before you have dreamed of and fought in the Chuunin Exams because of said situation."

"It is the custom in this world to show one's life and fighting to maintain a balance... the balance that must exist anywhere. This is the true meaning of the Chuunin Selection Exam."

After the tense silence, Gaara was the first to speak. "What of these life-and-death battles?" he asked, bloodlust evident in his eyes.

As the Hokage was about to answer, a bandana-wearing Jounin phased into view and bowed before the Hokage. "Gomen nasai, Hokage-sama… I, Gekkou Hayate, will explain the Third Exam."

After getting acknowledgement from the Third, Hayate turned to reveal bags under his eyes and a slight, sickly cough. "Nice to meet you, everyone. But before we begin, I need you to do something for me…"

After a small fit of coughing, Hayate said, "I need you to fight one another, to see who will advance into the main part of the Third Exam."

"What do you mean?" asked Shikamaru, clearly confused.

"It's just a few Preliminary Matches. We still have far too many examinees to just move on to the Main Event. Therefore, the rules state that some of the examinees have to be eliminated from the competition."

"Seeing as how we're pressed for time," said Hayate, taking a clipboard into his hands, "if anyone wants to quit after hearing the explanation, they may, with my consent. Because the Prelims begin immediately."

There were cries of "Nani!?" , "We just got here!!" , and one "Mendokuse…"

"You'll be doing one-on-one matches from this point on, so if you want to withdraw, please do so now."

'I'm not withdrawing,' thought Sasuke, before he grasped his neck. That damnedable snake bastard Orochimaru was gonna be in for a world of hurt once he found him. Then he'd pay for that mark on his neck…

After shrugging of a slightly worried (read: worried about his mental state) Sakura, and declaring, "Naruto… you're one of the people I want to fight…", effectively shutting up his feral teammate who had started to tell him to stop being a prick, he turned his attention to Hayate after hearing him say, "Yes?"

Kabuto had raised his arm. "I'm out."

This caught everyone's eyes. "Sorry, it's just that I'm in no fighting state right now, so I'd prefer to just cut my losses here and make a tactical withdrawal."

Those present accepted his answer, and as Kabuto walked out, they missed the sinister look that appeared on his face. Well, everyone except Naruto, who hissed lowly as the veteran left the Genin.

After Kabuto was gone, Hayate coughed and said, "I assume no others are going to drop out?" When he didn't receive an answer, he looked to Sandaime.

Seeing Sasuke grimace in pain, Sandaime inhaled from his pipe, and said, "Orochimaru being here worries me, but for know, let's just observe Sasuke."

Anko was indignant. "Ho-Hokage-sama!"

"If the Curse Seal begins to run rampant, then we'll quarantine him with the ANBU. But for now, let him be."

Ibiki nodded his assent, and so did Anko, begrudgingly.

"Well then," said Hayate, "Let's start the Preliminaries then. It'll be similar to actual combat, with one-on-one matches. And now that we have exactly twenty people, we will have ten matches. Subsequently, the winners of each match will move on to the Third Exam Finals."

"There are no rules. You will fight until your opponent is knocked out, dies, or admits defeat. If you do not wish to die, then forfeit. However, if I judge that the match is over…" Here, he coughed. "… then I will step in to prevent any unnecessary deaths."

"The thing that will foretell your destiny…" Hayate said, as Anko spoke into her headset, "is that board." Here a wall lifted to reveal a black board. "The electronic bulletin board will randomly show the names of two fighters of each match."

"And so, without further ado," intoned Hayate, "I give you the first match-up."

The board flashed, then shuffled through names, before stopping at two.

_Akado Yoroi vs. Uchiha Sasuke_

Sasuke grinned and said, "Right off the bat, eh?"

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Zankuukyokuha – Extreme Decapitating Air Wave.

Sorry for the long wait, I was held up by a three-page paper I had to do that had to summarize Newton's Three Laws of Motion in an exercise involving a fan attached to a small cart. Trust me, all of you would "rashambo" Newton if you had to do it.

That aside, this chapter, I wanted to kill two birds with one stone by making official Kin and Ino in the harem. A short lemon, and two limes… I'm probably pushing it already. But if the readers have no complaints, then neither do I. Also; Tenten, Temari, and Haku-chan will get their chance with Naruto before the Chuunin Exam Finals. For good measure, I might stick Tayuya in the harem as well.

On that note, some reviewers have requested that I put in some older women in the harem. Inuzuka Hana, Inuzuka Tsume, and Mitarashi Anko are definitely in; but I want to hear what you want. You can throw out your own, or pick from the list I have. The list will go up to the Sasuke Retrieval Arc, so… have fun.

Kazahana Koyuki/Fujikaze Yukie

Kakuyoku Fubuki (pink-haired Snow-nin from the first Naruto Movie)

Shizune

Tsunade (depends; I might or might not… more than likely make her like a matriarch)

Yuuhi Kurenai (another iffy one; I might keep to Canon with her)

Uzuki Yuugao (Hayate-san's fiancée; iffy due to ANBU lifestyle and likelihood of possible Naruto-hatred)

Konan (female Akatsuki member; just throwing out random names now…)

Last but not least, Naruto will summon two animals instead of one. Toads is obvious, but I want to hear what you all think the second animal will be. Maybe, I might change my choice if the options are good… but more than likely not.

Well, I've said my pieces. Ja ne!


	6. Path to Power:  Genin Showdown

Moshi Moshi, such a pleasant group you all are. Just one thing to say in regards to individual reviews:

**Samuramon**: General age for entering adulthood is 18 years old. This is a shinobi manga, with the threat of a constant early death; so the age limit is normally looked at when people want loopholes to spite someone. Also, King Henry VIII was 17 when he married his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. So remember… SITUATION. SITUATION. SITUATION.

Well, on with the show.

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

Blah Human dialogue

**Blah** Summon/Demon dialogue

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Chapter 6: Path to Power – Genin Showdown

"Alright then, will the two fighters on the board please step up?"

Sasuke and Yoroi walked towards Hayate, then faced each other, as Hayate said, "The fighters of the first match are Akado Yoroi and Uchiha Sasuke. Are there any objections?"

After hearing both fighters say "No!" , Hayate then said, "Alright then, will everyone else please move up to the catwalks?"

As the teams began to walk up, Kakashi appeared beside Sasuke, and said, "Don't use the Sharingan."

Sasuke, peeved at the thought of Kakashi trying to limit his growth, grinned and said, "So you know?"

"If the Curse Seal runs rampant, it may… kill you. Then your match will be the least of your worries. Understood?"

"Yeah, I figured as much," growled Sasuke. As Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura made their way up the stairs, Sasuke felt the Curse Seal throb on his neck. 'It seems like the Seal reacts to my Chakra. If I try to mold Chakra, then the Curse Seal draws strength off it. In that case, I'm going to have to try to limit my techniques.'

The Jounin-sensei of Oto, who was actually Orochimaru in disguise, snickered to himself.

With all eyes on the fighters below, Hayate backed up and said, "Hajime."

Yoroi opened up by throwing a bunch of shuriken, but Sasuke whipped out a kunai, and deflected them back at Yoroi. Yoroi jumped aside, then ran at Sasuke, who in turn dodged the incoming kunai, and slammed his own into the ground, where he grabbed Yoroi's legs and forced him to the floor. By holding Yoroi's arm, Sasuke was sure he had it won.

(A/N: Same fight as Canon. Simply because it was the dullest of the Prelims.)

As Sasuke stood shakily, Hayate moved towards Yoroi, and knelt beside him. 'No need to confirm it,' he thought, then shouted, "Shousa, Uchiha Sasuke."

As the medics came and took Yoroi away, Kakashi took charge of Sasuke. 'So, it looks like the Sharingan was the deciding factor,' thought Lee. 'You copied the moves I used on you, after seeing them once. Uchiha Sasuke, you are a worthy opponent.'

The board went through the same process, this time ending on the names _Abumi Zaku_ and _Aburame Shino_.

"Who's this weakling?" sneered Zaku, while Shino said nothing. "I wanted to fight Uzumaki… not some nameless Konoha-nin."

"Fighters, step up," said Hayate. Once Zaku and Shino were down, Hayate moved back and said, "Hajime."

Sakura vividly remembered Zaku as the Sound-nin who had his arms broken by Naruto… after he had tried to "take" her and Ino. 'Is he going to fight with those arms?' she wondered to herself. 'If he does, then he's screwed… not that I care.'

Over at Team 8, Kiba was saying that Shino would be the last person he'd want to fight. All of the Genin were about to see why.

Zaku had used one of his arms to send a Zankuuha at Shino. It connected, but Zaku recoiled at the sight of bugs leaving Shino's skin. Upon turning his head, he saw more of those same insects.

"These are my Kikaichu. They attack their prey in swarms, and consume their Chakra", explained Shino, holding one up. "If they all attack you, you lose. If you attack them, you lose, for that will leave you open for me. Therefore, it is advisable to forfeit." Holding his hands in the Tiger Seal, he ended with, "A true strategist never reveals his trump card until the end."

Zaku had flashbacks (the bane of all anime) of when he first met Orochimaru. Back then, he had been an ordinary kid. But Orochimaru had found him, and given him power. Then he thought about Sasuke, and the Curse Seal. When Naruto's face appeared in his head, he became consumed by his rage, and he finally pulled his other arm from its sling. Aiming his good arm at Shino and the other at the Kikaichu, he roared, "How's this for trump card!?"

But when he tried to fire, his arms exploded. His left arm was shredded, and his right arm was blown completely off at the elbow. Cursing in pain, his eyes widened in shock, as did everyone else's, to see Shino's Kikaichu in the barrels in his arms.

"When I was telling you to forfeit," said Shino, materializing behind Zaku, "I also told my bugs to block up those air holes of yours. That, my friend, is a true trump card." With that, he delivered a crushing blow to Zaku's head, knocking the Sound-nin unconscious.

"You see, this is a good example of why I don't want to fight Shino," said Kiba, as Hayate pronounced Shino the winner. The medic-nins made off with Zaku as Shino walked up the stairs.

"Kickass, Shino!!" said Naruto as he materialized in front of Shino and held out his hand. Shino looked at it, then, ever so slowly, shook it.

"Arigatou, Uzumaki."

"What the hell are you doing here!?" shouted Kiba. He hadn't seen Naruto move at all, and it pissed him off to know that Hinata was in love with Naruto instead of him.

In the meantime, Kakashi appeared with a "Yo!" "Don't 'yo' me! What about Sasuke-teme? Is he all right?" went Naruto.

'He's fine, he just sleeping at the hospital," said Kakashi, while thinking, 'With a couple of ANBU around him. No need to tell them about my little run-in with Orochimaru.' Thinking back, Kakashi knew in his heart that Orochimaru would have probably killed him and taken Sasuke had he fought.

In the meantime, the board had spouted out two more names: _Tsurugi Misumi_ vs. _Kankurou_. Kankurou grinned and thought, 'It's finally my turn.' Baki narrowed his eyes at his student's recklessness, and Gaara thought, 'Idiot.'

(A/N: Again, same fight as Canon due to dullness.)

Kankurou walked back to his team as the Medic-nin carried Misumi away. "Moving on," said Hayate, coughing a little. "Next match, Haruno Sakura vs. Yamanaka Ino." The two rivals glanced at each other, then made their way down to the arena.

"Mendokuse," said Shikamaru. This is a troublesome match."

"How so?" asked Chouji.

"If Sakura wins, then Ino won't stop bitchin' about it. And if Ino wins, then she won't shut up about it," explained Shikamaru. "As far as I know, we're screwed."

Meanwhile, Ino and Sakura had been throwing kicks and punches at each other. When that refused to work, the two kunoichis tied their hitai-ates' to their foreheads, then started doing their things.

Sakura opened up with a Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, and two Sakura's appeared next to the original. Ino tried to anticipate which Sakura was the real one, but made a terrible error and received a solid punch to the head. "Real clones!?" she gasped. "How did you do that!?"

"That for me to know and you to find out," said Sakura, and she and the clones jumped at the blonde kunoichi. Ino retaliated by throwing two kunai at the clones, and they disappeared in puffs of smoke. At that point, it became a full-blown cat… er, fist-fight.

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"Sensei," said Naruto, watching the kunoichi fight. "Is it wrong to have certain urges right now?"

"Yes Naruto, it is."

"Ya know, they're sorta scary when they fight," murmured Chouji, while Asuma thought 'There's no end in sight if they keep up like this.'

Apparently, Ino was thinking the same thing when, in a fit of pride, after Sakura said that she (Ino) was weaker than she (Sakura) was, she cut off her ponytail, spreading platinum-blonde hair across the floor.

"Aw," moaned Naruto. "I liked her hair like that…"

Putting her hands in the Ram Seal, Ino shouted, "I'm gonna end this now by making you give up!!"

Immediately, Shikamaru knew what she was going to do. "She-she wouldn't…!"

Ino did. Putting her hands in the Bird Seal, she confirmed Team 10's fears. "Geez, that idiot…" said Asuma.

"I know you're in a hurry, but that's useless," said Sakura, grinning.

"We'll see about that," said Ino. "Ninpou: Shintenshin no Jutsu. I'm gonna leave my body and enter yours, and make you give up."

'That idiot,' thought Asuma. 'Shintenshin travels in a straight line, and slowly to add. If she misses, she won't be able to return to her own body for a few minutes, leaving her body vulnerable to the enemy.'

Long story short: Ino managed to trap Sakura in a trap by pretending to do Shintenshin, but in actuality channeled Chakra into her hair on the floor, ensnaring Sakura in a Chakra Rope. Then she did the Shintenshin. However, she didn't count on Inner Sakura being in Sakura head, roused by a yelling Naruto. Inner Sakura threatened Ino with a true vision of Hell, and forced Ino back into her body.

'What the hell was that!?' was Ino's first thought back in her body.

'Ino shouldn't have been kicked out that quick,' thought Kakashi, his eye on the match below. 'It's true that Ino was low on Chakra, but the fighting spirit inside Sakura towards Ino, her rival, had a bigger effect than the Shintenshin. That was triggered by Naruto's voice, and once it had awakened, it kicked Ino out.

During Kakashi's thoughts, Ino and Sakura had leapt at each other for the final blow, but when the blows connected, the two Kunoichis knocked each other out. The force of the blows were so strong that they knocked off each other's hitai-ate's.

"Huh. A double K.O." murmured Kankurou.

"About damn time, too," growled Dosu. "That was a good cat-fight, though."

Kin sighed in disgust and looked off to Team 7, where she caught Naruto's eyes. Naruto winked at her, and she reddened and turned back to the arena.

Meanwhile, Hayate had glanced at the downed Kunoichis only once, and then gave his verdict. "Both are unable to fight. Due to a double knockout, neither Kunoichi pass the 4th Preliminary Match."

After Kakashi and Asuma had retrieved their charges, and the unconscious girls found themselves surrounded by their teammates, plus one Rock Lee and minus one Sasuke (obviously), the board went off. The two names that appeared were _Tenten_ and _Temari_.

Tenten appeared in front of Temari and Temari likewise. 'I'm psyched ever since that last match,' thought Tenten, sizing up her opponent.

"This will be an interesting match," said Neji.

"Do your best, Tenten!!" shouted Lee.

In the meantime, Sakura and Ino had made their peace, and Hayate began the 5th Preliminary Match. With Gai and Lee shouting words of encouragement, all Naruto was thinking was, 'These two are louder than I am!!'

Tenten's match was one-sided. Temari had dodged every attack Tenten threw at her using her giant fan, surprising Tenten beyond belief. Tenten knew she was an excellent marker, and she knew that she _never_ missed. So when she brought out _those_ two scrolls, her team knew she was trying to end the match quick.

But as it turned out, not even Tenten's Soshoryu was a match for Temari's Kamaitichi.

"She shut down Tenten's weapon attack like it was nothing," said a shocked Gai.

Naruto stared down at the kunoichi, murmuring "That was a good fight though… it seems the choices made were good ones."

Baki said, "We are not to be trifled with." Gaara said nothing.

"That was boring," said Temari, as she caught Tenten falling by her Chinese shirt. "Very boring."

"The shinobi from Sand," said Sandaime, "are truly fearsome."

"Fifth match winner, Temari."

At the triumphant smirk Temari gave off, Lee disappeared from Naruto's side and reappeared in front of the thrown Tenten, and caught her.

"Nice catch."

"Why did you do that!?" shouted Lee. "Is that not something you should do to someone who fought their hardest!?"

Temari, content with her victory, slammed the butt of her fan on the ground and said, "Urusai na. Take her away and leave."

In response, Lee gave off a Konoha Senpuu, despite Neji's cries of "Stop Lee!" Which was blocked by Temari's fan. "You act like you dress," she said. "Stupid." When Gai-sensei appeared, Gaara decided to speak up.

"Temari, get back up here. You won. Leave that guy and his ugly guardian."

Lee and Gaara glared at each other, but Lee stopped at Gai-sensei's hand on his shoulder. "Let it go, Lee." Gai then turned his attention to Gaara. "Gentleman of Suna, a word."

At Gaara's glare, he continued. "He's strong. You might want to be prepared for it."

Kiba scoffed. "They're trying to pick a fight with the team from Suna? I'd NEVER want to fight them." He had seen first-hand how the team from Sunagakure had massacred the team from Ame. Or more accurately, how Gaara had massacred those three.

Hinata slightly nodded and added, "They're a strong team."

The board started shuffling names again, and Rock Lee was giving out shouts of "All right!! Me next, please!!" Naruto stood calmly, although inside he was churning and itching to fight. Heedless of Lee's pleas, the machine showed two names that were clearly _not_ either of theirs, much to their disappointment.

_Nara Shikamaru_ vs. _Tsuchi Kin_.

"Me, eh?" said Shikamaru as he made his way into the arena, with Ino shouting, "Shikamaru, don't lose!! Be a man!!"

Dosu cautioned his teammate, "He uses the shadows. Beware of them."

Kin smirked and said, "I won't fall for that stupid trick."

Once both were in the arena, Shikamaru groaned. "Hey ref, can I get a redraw?"

"Sorry, all decisions are final…"

"Damn," said Shikamaru. "Mendokuse… On top of that, I'll be dealing with a girl."

Kin, pissed about his earlier comment, replied, "Then I'll be sure to finish this match quick."

'I know what her teammates can use…' thought Shikamaru, as Hayate began the match, '… but I have no idea what she can do. On top of that, she saw my technique. And I can only this…' He put his hands into the Rat Seal.

As he tried to do his Kage Mane no Jutsu, Kin dodged and threw senbon at him. When he dodged, he noticed that the two she threw had bells on them. "So that's your game? You throw the senbon with the bells, and I'll react to the sound, and notice the other senbon you throw." He grinned. "Clever."

Kin managed to trick him with chakra strings attached to the bells, which not only surprised Shikamaru so she could hit him, it also cast a Genjutsu every time he heard the ringing. Right now, instead of one Kin, he was seeing twelve. 'But which one's the real one?'

When Shikamaru used his Kage Mane to travel along the string and connect with her body, she was more than surprised. He drew a shuriken from his pouch, and she did the same. When he threw it, she threw it as well, screaming, "Are you crazy!?"

All of a sudden Shikamaru fell over, writhing. Kin fell over to, and was forced to follow his body movements. After a couple of seconds, Shikamaru recovered and drew a kunai from his pouch. Holding it up to his neck, he said, "Forfeit… or I'll cut the both of us."

Kin knew better than to call his bluff, so she did so.

"Shousa, Nara Shikamaru."

When Kin and Shikamaru rejoined their respective teams, Naruto discreetly shut off his eyes. 'That was close,' he thought. 'Can't have Kin-chan getting a nasty concussion now, can we?'

When the board started, Kiba started counting off who was left. "Let's see… that Oto-nin, me, Hinata-chan, Naruto-teme, Chouji, Lee, Neji, and that guy from Suna." Watching the board, he anxiously added, "And I pray to Kami-sama that I don't get matched up with that guy from Suna."

Neji, watching the screen, said in an undertone, "I guess I can have fun with the rookies this year…" He trailed off, casting a glare at Hinata, who looked away after noticing Neji's glare.

The names on the board stopped, saying _Uzumaki Naruto_ vs. _Inuzuka Kiba_.

"Finally," said Naruto, while Kiba shouted "Hells yeah!! We got lucky!! Let's kick his ass, Akamaru!!" Apparently, Kiba was forgetful of his previous fear.

Lee slumped dejectedly, murmuring, 'If I'm not next, then Sakura-san will call me Fuzzy-brows and hate me…'

While Naruto walked down to the arena, Kakashi glanced at his student and thought, 'Naruto… show me, no, show all of us just how much you've grown.' Opposite of him, Kurenai chuckled. 'No matter how much he changed appearance-wise, there's no way that Uzumaki Naruto can defeat Kiba.'

When Naruto and Kiba entered the arena, and Hayate started the match, Naruto said, "I was getting sick of waiting, and now I'm itching to fight."

Kiba growled and pointed, yelling, "Hey, you bastard, that's my line!! Just for that, I already got this match won!! Right, Akamaru?"

When Akamaru whimpered, Kiba scratched his ears, reassuring his partner. When Akamaru reluctantly agreed to help fight, Kiba then pointed at Naruto again and said, "Hey, dead last, lets make a deal!! Beat me, and I might let you go out with Hinata-chan! When you lose, you gotta leave us alone… like, forever!!"

Had Naruto had no self-control, he would have shouted out how his Hinata-chan wasn't some trophy to barter. However, he was still annoyed by Kiba's outburst. "What makes you so confident?"

"What makes you!?"

"I know something you don't… now don't bring your owner into this."

As Kiba yelled about how they were partners "for the last time!", Hayate intervened on Kiba's behalf, saying, "Nin-ken count as tools, just like the Aburame bugs and a standard shinobi's kunai."

"Meh…"

Kiba grinned as he watched Naruto. 'I don't know how strong he's gotten since he became a Genin…' He remembered back when he had first seen Naruto. Naruto had been a third-year academy student trying to be funny, who had no grasp of Shinobi abilities. 'Heh… and now, he's gonna face me, the top dog?'

Holding out his fist, Kiba said, "I'll take you out in one pity hit."

"Whatever, you can't beat me."

This proved to be an intriguing match. Kiba had opened up with Ninpou: Shikakyu no Jutsu, and charged Naruto, elbowing him in the stomach. Naruto flew a few feet, then lay still. A grinning Kiba was shocked when Naruto poofed into smoke, and Kiba was able to dodge the blow that came. 'When did he… What did he do?'

"Don't…" said Naruto, grinning at Kiba, "… underestimate me."

Oblivious to the cheers Lee, Sakura, Ino, Kin, and strangely Shikamaru were throwing him, he wiped some blood off the corner of his mouth. 'I still got hit a little… thanks to that Hebi-teme, my I'm still not up to my optimum level...'

"Hey, you're bleeding!! You're not all cool, so stop playing the tough guy!"

"Heh, take your own advice, dog-boy!"

Kiba growled and beckoned Akamaru to him, then reached into the pouch on his back, and threw some smoke bombs. The smoke was so thick, Naruto couldn't see anything. When he started getting hit, he knew he was in for a surprise. 'Using the smoke as cover, eh?' he thought. Since his eyes were useless here… well, he could've used his Kekkai Genkai now, but it would raise a lot of unwanted questions. So he decided to use his ears.

He heard hear the low hissing of the smoke… THERE!! He jumped, narrowly avoiding the blow Kiba had thrown, and exiting the smoke.

He forgot Akamaru. The minute he saw the dog, he knew. Akamaru had jumped at Naruto and pushed him back into the smoke.

"N-Naruto-kun…"

"Damn, I can't see anything," said Shikamaru.

The smoke cleared, revealing the downed form of Naruto, next to a tail-wagging Akamaru. Kiba was ready to congratulate the running Akamaru, who proceeded to bite Kiba's arm, to everyone's shock.

Even more shocking was when Akamaru poofed back into Naruto, who immediately let go and started spitting, yelling, "You taste like dog!", whilst the real Akamaru was being held by a Naruto clone.

'Interesting,' thought Neji. 'He bit Kiba on his own, then complained about it.'

"Yeah, Naruto-kun!! You can do it!!"

Kiba, however, was pretty confident in himself. He threw Akamaru a Soldier Pill, which made Akamaru turn red and get stronger. Akamaru broke free of the Bunshin, which poofed into smoke, and Akamaru rejoined Kiba. At this point, Kiba was anxious to end it there. He performed a Jyuujin Bunshin, which turned Akamaru into a Kiba clone.

Even at this, Naruto grinned. As the two Kiba's performed the original's signature jutsu, the Gatsuuga, Naruto dodged each and every one of them. Kiba got pissed, and then grinned as he drew his trump card.

"I know what you did earlier."

Naruto stopped dodging to tilt his head in false confusion. "Like what?"

"You were with another girl," he said, triumphantly pointing at Kin, who felt the urge to curl up and let the earth swallow her. Well, after she castrated Kiba.

"This looks fun," commented Asuma, as he saw the Oto kunoichi being given strange looks, mostly from the proctors.

"Hinata-chan likes… no, she loves you, and you break her heart by going with another girl. You're scum, not worthy of being Hokage," said Kiba, thinking that Hinata could be his girl now.

Hinata winced. "Oh Kiba-kun… that was the wrong thing to say…"

Naruto twitched, and his eyes grew cold. "Okay, you can spy on me in the midst of a secret rendezvous, you can blackmail me with that knowledge, you can even try to beat my ass into the dirt while I'm unaware. But once you FUCK with me around with the title Hokage, then you've just gotten yourself the ass-raping of a lifetime."

Sakura, Ino, and Hinata reddened at their mate's language. "I don't condone his words…" said Ino. "But that was actually funny…" finished Hinata.

Kurenai looked at her student in shock, wondering what had desensitized her.

Kiba laughed. "And at are you gonna do about it, girly-man?"

Naruto grinned; the kind of grin that one would see on the face of a demon ready the let go in a village of innocent female virgins. Holding his fingers to his mouth, he said, "Give you a gift of gentle wind…"

Asuma's eyes widened, and he started laughing. "What's with you, Asuma?" asked Kurenai.

"That Naruto kid's one in a million," said the laughing Asuma. "Watch this."

"Fuuton…" said Naruto, lifting his index and pinky while lowering his middle and ring fingers. "Daitoppa."

A blast of wind erupted from his lips and slammed into the two Kiba's; pinning them to the wall and giving them minor cuts as the two yelled out. When the wind died down, Kiba and Akamaru fell to the ground; the former falling to his knees and the latter turning back into his canine form.

"H-How?" gasped Kiba. "How can you beat me…?"

Naruto grinned again, revealing his fangs, and said, "Because I'm supposed to. I'm… Uzumaki Naruto after all."

'Indeed,' thought Hayate warily. "Shousa, Uzumaki Naruto."

Kurenai was speechless. Her Kiba had just been beaten by the dead-last of the academy. 'What have you done to him, Kakashi?' she thought.

Sandaime was thinking along the same lines. He smiled at the one who he knew would earn the title of Hokage someday. 'A C-rank Fuuton jutsu,' he thought. 'He's come far… even though it's a far stretch from Kage Bunshin.'

At this point, Naruto had walked up the stairs, and found himself being tackled by four girls; Hinata, Sakura, Ino, and Kin. "That was fun," he said, hugging his mates.

"When did that happen?" asked Iruka. "Better yet, how did that happen?"

"These things are probably best left alone," said Ibiki, raising an eyebrow at the male blonde. "Even so, those are good questions…"

"Lucky bastard," muttered Kankurou.

"Naruto works fast," said Kakashi to Asuma.

"Damn straight," said Asuma. "Now why can't Sasuke by like that?"

"I've wondered that myself," said Kakashi. "Personally, I'd rather not think about it."

In the meantime, Hyuuga Neji glared at the five rookies, malevolently plotting how best to end what they had. 'You seem so carefree… Hinata-sama.'

As the other kunoichi rejoined their respective teams, and the medic-nins carried Kiba and Akamaru away, Hinata caught up with them and tried to give Kiba the ointment she made, but he denied it, saying that she had to look out for herself. Then he said, "Out of all of us left, if you have to fight that Sand guy or Neji, forfeit right away. They'll be harsh on you, and you'll get beaten… badly."

Before Hinata had a chance to respond, the board went off, revealing what she and Kiba had feared.

_Hyuuga Hinata_ vs. _Hyuuga Neji_.

"Shit and damnation," growled Kiba, as the medics carried him out.

When the two made it to the center of the arena, Naruto and Sakura were under the impression that the two were siblings. Lee informed them that Neji and Hinata were cousins, and that it was a bad thing that they were fighting, because of recent bad blood between the two branches that each came from; Hinata from the Hyuuga Main, and Neji from the Hyuuga Branch. As he was about to elaborate more, Hayate began the match.

Neji started out by belittling Hinata on how she should forfeit because she wasn't suited to being a shinobi because of her nature. When Hinata began to protest, it brought a memory back to Kurenai, of when she took charge of Hinata. She had met with Hinata's father, Hyuuga Hiashi, in regards to Hinata being a shinobi. Without a second thought, Hiashi told Kurenai to take Hinata to do with as she saw fit, for he saw his eldest daughter as "Nothing more than a defect who couldn't even beat her own younger sister who was five years younger."

When Neji started telling Hinata that trying to change herself was useless, that she was fated to be the failure of the Hyuuga Clan, Naruto knew he definitely stepped over the line, because that was an insult to him and Hinata. So when Neji started playing his mind games with poor Hinata, Naruto did what he always did when he got mad; he started yelling.

"Shut the hell up!!" When Neji looked to acknowledge him, as did the other genin, Naruto continued on. "You can't just label people like that! All that stuff you spout out is a bunch of crap in your head!"

'What a noisy guy,' thought Neji, but his eyes narrowed upon seeing Hinata. 'She looks… determined. Confident…' "So you're not giving up? Don't blame me for what happens later, then."

'Arigatou, Naruto-kun,' thought Hinata, as she activated her Byakugan. 'I won't… run away… anymore…' thought she as she slid into the Jyuuken stance. "Let us fight… Neji-nii-san."

Even though Hinata put up a good fight, she was still no match for Neji. Neji revealed that he had been using the Jyuuken since he started fighting, and already Hinata was starting to feel the effects. When Neji hit her in the chest, she flew backwards and hit the floor… hard.

When Neji started on about his crap about how she was fated to lose, she shakily stood to her feet, saying that she wouldn't back down, that she was going to change.

When she started soughing up blood, everyone knew something was wrong. Kakashi said that Neji had more than sealed a number of Tenketsu, disabling Hinata's ability to use the Jyuuken. And yet…

She still fought. She fought to the limits of her ability, trying to follow her Naruto-kun's example. All those years of watching, him verses the prejudice of the village, he had proven his strength. Even though the beast lay within, she saw him as an inspiration; trying to change himself for acknowledgement. Inspiration turned into affection, and she saw him for who he was.

'When I'm watching Naruto-kun…' she thought as she fought, '…it makes me feel like I can accomplish something if I try. It makes me feel like I'm worth something…'

When Neji gave her a Jyuuken uppercut, he was sure that would end the match. But he was wrong, and annoyed when she stared at him through her vein-surrounded eyes, then charged him. So he did what he knew he'd take pleasure in.

He gave her a Jyuuken blow to the heart.

She fell to the ground, much to the chagrin of the rookies and Lee. When Neji told her that she was too weak to lay a finger on him, he deactivated his Byakugan and started walking to the stairs.

He fell to the ground, clutching the back of his right leg as the muscle began to spasm. "H-How?"

Hinata slowly rose up, her hands glowing green. "Just because… otou-sama won't teach me… doesn't mean I'm useless." Her breathing went back to normal as she ran her hands over her chest. "The Jyuuken can be quite useful for Medic-ninjutsu… I just simulated a cramp to your legs. You should feel the effect on the other soon…"

Immediately, Neji growled and clutched his other leg. She had cheated! She used her Jyuuken for Medic-ninjutsu instead of the noble Hyuuga Jyuuken the way it was meant to be used.

(FYI: Cramps fcking HURT. Imagine having them in both legs… TT)

Naruto gave out a cry of victory. "Kick his fate-loving ass, Hinata-chan!"

Neji growled as he saw his cousin blush. 'So… she taught herself Medic-ninjutsu, eh? I know the human body as well, and these… cramps will wear off soon.'

Unfortunately, he was right. The pulsing pain in his legs wore off, and the Hyuuga genius used that opportunity to attack. He fell upon his cousin like a wild beast, raining blow after blow upon her. Hinata tried to parry every blow, but she still hadn't recovered from the hits from before.

At length, Neji delivered he thought was the final blow; a combination palm strike and uppercut, to Naruto's alarmed cry. Hinata fell to her knees, coughing out blood. "You should have stayed down, Hinata-sama," he said triumphantly. His eyes narrowed when he saw her struggling to rise. "Why…" he whispered. Then he said to her, "Why are you still fighting?"

Hinata lifted her head, gazing at her cousin through pain-filled eyes, and smiled. "Because I choose to…"

Incensed, Neji rushed her, Byakugan blazing and ignoring Hayate's cries of "Neji, The match has ended!!", fully intent on interning his younger cousin.

He found himself lunging to the side to avoid a projectile. He straightened himself to fight this new arrival, and he froze.

Naruto stood in front of Hinata, his eyes blood red and hate-filled, brandishing Kubikiri Houcho. He snarled at Neji, revealing lengthened canines. "You touch her," he snarled, emitting bloodlust, "and I'll make sure you leave this world in pieces!"

Unconsciously, his bloodlust was reaching out and affecting the other males in the expansive room. The only ones not affected were Sandaime, Ibiki, and Gaara. Kakashi, Iruka, and Asuma were wary on an instinctive level, and the others… well, you get the picture.

Neji knew at this moment that it was a big mistake to try the beat the crap out of Hinata like he did. In his anger at the Main Family, he had forgotten what he had witnessed in the Forest of Death, when that spiky-haired Oto-nin was ready to… assault the Haruno and Yamanaka. And he had saw Hinata and Naruto embracing earlier, so he cursed himself for a severe lack of foresight.

Hinata watched through wide eyes, when she collapsed, gasping out blood. Naruto resealed Kubikiri Houcho and was on his knees in seconds. "Hinata-chan!" he gasped, cradling her bridal-style. With some difficulty, he created a shadow clone and said, "Stay and watch." Glaring at Neji, he snarled, "If she dies, I'm coming for you, and not even the Ichibi with match my wrath!" With that, he rushed away and tore through the doors.

Sakura and Ino watched him leave. "Sakura," began Ino. "Would Naruto-kun really kill a fellow shinobi over one of us?"

Sakura nodded sadly. "Naruto-kun was shown no love growing up, so he takes family seriously."

Kakashi vaguely listened in, and nodded sadly. 'Let's hope shy Hinata pulls through.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Minutes later, Naruto exiting the Forest of Death and tearing through Konoha, Hinata held to him like precious jewelry. "Hold on, Hinata-chan," he whispered, feeling her trembling and wheezing. "Hold on."

He arrived at the hospital, and the receptionist caught sight of him. She sneered and was about to turn him away when she flinched at his baleful red eyes. "Wha-what do you want?"

Naruto glared, baring his fangs. "My Hinata-chan is dying, and if she goes… well, the Kyuubi attack will look like child's play compared to me."

That was enough to terrify the receptionist, and she knew that Naruto wasn't bluffing. She called three doctors over, and when they arrived, Naruto hesitantly handed his Hinata-chan to them. "Please," he said softly, for the first time in years. "She's one of my most precious…"

These doctors were ones who had treated him in the prior years, so they knew he wasn't bluffing. "We'll do our best," said one, and laying Hinata on a gurney, they wheeled away the ailing Hyuuga heiress. As they disappeared, Naruto saw Hinata weakly wave out at him. Wiping his eyes, he adopted his recently obtained "aggressive state"; orange eyes with slitted pupils, bared fangs and claws, and wild hair. Ignoring the gasping receptionist, he turned on his heel and left the hospital, ignoring his stinging eyes.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

When Naruto arrived back at the Preliminary Matches, he watched Chouji get beaten by Dosu and his Melody Arm. "Shousa, Kinuta Dosu," said Hayate as the medics took Chouji away.

When Naruto rejoined his team, everyone except Sakura, Ino, and Kakashi gave him a wide berth. Naruto was joined by his clone, and when Naruto cut the clone on the arm, it disappeared in a puff of smoke. As the clone's memories surged into his head, Naruto furrowed his brow. Rock Lee had fought Sabaku no Gaara with Taijutsu only, and his trump card(s) were the Hachimon (Eight Gates). Even with them, Lee lost. 'Poor Lee,' he thought.

Sakura watched her mate, and was about to approach him when he said, "Sakura-chan… please, I need to cool."

Meanwhile…

"Well, that concludes the Preliminary Matches," said Hayate. Then when the match winners had assembled in the remains of the arena, he continued. "To those of you who made it to the third part of the Chuunin Exam… all but one are here, so congratulations."

Sakura surveyed the winners. There was Naruto, of course, and Shikamaru, Shino, and Neji. That accounted for Konoha, and there were the three from Suna, Gaara and Temari. Then there was the lone Oto-nin, Dosu. Turning to Kakashi, she started asking him about Sasuke, but Kakashi said, "I'm not sure about the details, but don't worry about him." Thinking back to the Fuuja Houin (Barrier Seal), he silently hoped it would be enough. 'It's all up to him now.'

"Sakura," he said, "I need to leave, so give me details on the main matches later." With that, he used Shunshin and left her saying, "Okay."

Down below, Sandaime tilted his hat and said, "I will now begin the explanation for the main matches."

'Thank God,' thought Naruto, who had gotten tired of waiting.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

Outside, two figures met. One was Kabuto, and he was kneeling in front of his master, who he held true allegiance to.

"The preliminary matches have concluded, and now they're about to begin the main matches," said he said.

Orochimaru nodded faintly, gazing at a trio of birds. "This village… no, this country as become soft… too used to peace. The rest of the shinobi nations are busy increasing their military strength."

Nodding his head, Kabuto asked, "Do you think you'll be able to kill him?"

Catching on, Orochimaru grinned a little. "The old geezer? Yeah… but I don't think it'll be much fun to kill him now."

"Looks to me like you're hesitating," said Kabuto, pushing up his glasses. At Orochimaru's glare, he continued. "I mean, the Hidden Shinobi Villages are mobilizing for conflict, and Otogakure is one of them. The old man is the bullet, Uchiha Sasuke is the trigger, and you are the gun, are you not?"

"You're so observant… you even startle me," said Orochimaru.

"But why did you need those other three?" asked Kabuto, referring to Dosu, Zaku, and Kin.

"They were inconsequential," said Orochimaru. "Those three have outlived their usefulness, and now only serve one purpose: Fodder." Here he grinned even more. "But if you're so eager to prove your usefulness, there's one thing I must ask you to do."

At Kabuto's look, he said. "Kill Uchiha Sasuke."

Kabuto almost faltered. "But I thought…"

"The Juuin Fuuin I gave Sasuke-kun has been sealed by Kakashi. Even though that doesn't matter, if the darkness in Sasuke-kun's heart disappears… I need you to abduct him."

Kabuto narrowed his eyes. "You seem in a hurry."

"It's that someone has recently caught my attention… Uzumaki Naruto."

"What, the Kyuubi brat?"

"Yeah. Sasuke-kun is an avatar of vengeance that cannot die until he kills his brother, and fulfilled his ambition. When he fought me in the Forest of Death, he engaged me without fear of death, even when he knew he couldn't win. I thought he was a more careful type of person." Gazing into the sky, he added, "According to the info of you gave me, the Kyuubi brat has probably changed his heart and goal." Licking his lips, he concluded, "Those two must be separated, if I am to dye Sasuke-kun _my_ color."

Kabuto narrowed his eyes, then turned away, intent on proving his worth.

"Kabuto-kun… if you intend to stop me… then kill Sasuke _now_."

Kabuto was startled by this. Granted Orochimaru didn't scare him, but those eyes were unnerving.

"You are strong, but only as strong as Kakashi-kun, therefore, not strong enough to end my life."

Kabuto was now locked in a staring match with his master. He slightly relaxed when Orochimaru grinned and said, "Just kidding. You can go now… I trust you."

When Kabuto used his Shunshin to leave, Orochimaru was somewhat intrigued by his somewhat new subordinate. 'That look on his face… I can never tell what he's thinking.'

xxxxxxxxxxxx

"Your matches will be shown in front of everyone," said Sandaime. "We wish for all of you to show off your prowess as the representative of your country. Therefore, the main matches will take place in one month."

When Shikamaru voiced the confusion everyone had on the time period, Sandaime continued. "The month given is the time that should be used for the necessary preparations. In other words, we're going to announce to the daimyos and shinobi leaders that the preliminaries are over. In addition, the month will also give you time to make your own preparations."

Temari, annoyed with the metaphors Sandaime was giving out, asked, "What do you mean?"

"You will have time to analyze the information you gathered from the preliminaries. As I said before, the preliminaries were equal to actual combat situations, with each individual knowing nothing of their opponent."

Many thoughts went through the heads of the Genin, such as 'I didn't expect him to use sand as a weapon,' from Shikamaru, and 'And that's the way it's gonna stay… for now,' from Naruto.

"But the main matches won't be like that. There are some here who have used their full potential here, but the month given will help you improve."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kabuto had gotten into the hospital and slain the three ANBU in Sasuke's room. "It is… unfortunate that fate smiled down on both of us," said he to the unconscious Sasuke. 'He is young, but with a dark heart at his age. He would use the power given to him by Orochimaru-sama to do with what he will.' Taking a scalpel, he put it up to Sasuke's neck…

…Then flung it at Kakashi, who stood in the doorway and caught it. "Excellent, Kakashi-kun. A word of advice: Have at least ten ANBU stationed next time."

Kakashi was visibly shaken by the dead ANBU he had stationed. "Kabuto," he asked, "Why did you try to kill Sasuke? Depending on your answer, I might have to take you to Ibiki."

"Ibiki doesn't scare me, Kakashi," said Kabuto, turning to face the silver-haired Jounin. "This is just a … change of hands. Shinobi are tools, are we not? And what business of yours is if I choose to change hands?"

"Are you connected to Orochimaru?"

"You might not be able to prove that if you capture me now, would you?"

"Just answer the damn question."

Long story short: Kabuto pulled out a curved kunai and held it to Sasuke's throat, while Kakashi pulled his own kunai out. One twitch from Kabuto was all Kakashi needed, and he rushed the faux Genin, knocking him to the ground, while watching one of the ANBU rise up and run for the door, only to discover…

"Kage Bunshin?" The ANBU found himself between two Kakashi's. But then, another ANBU on the floor threw some kunai at the window and jumped. Kakashi didn't expect that, so when the ANBU between him and his clone fell to the ground, he ran to the window.

The ANBU below him was freefalling, and he removed the mask to reveal Yakushi Kabuto, smirking at the gaping Copy-nin.

"Damn," growled Kakashi as Kabuto disappeared into the trees, and his Kage Bunshin poofed into smoke. He went to inspect the fake Kabuto, only to discover that the skin on Kabuto was stitched at the back of the face. "He erased his odor… muted his heartbeat… impersonated one of the ANBU he killed, and kept an escape route open." Kakashi growled at his own weakness. "A guy like that working for Orochimaru… I wouldn't be able to kill either, at the state I'm in."

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Sandaime had that odd gleam in his eye, and Naruto didn't like it at all. True to form, Sandaime confirmed it with, "Before I let you all go, there is something important we must do before the main matches. Take a piece of paper from Anko as she comes by you."

"I'll walk, so take it in turns," said she.

After she passed them out, Ibiki asked if everyone got one, then to say what number they picked up. Dosu got 8, Naruto got 1, Temari got 7, Gaara got 5, Kankurou got 3, Shikamaru got 9, Neji got 2, and Shino got 4. Marking down Sasuke as 6, Sandaime told them the numbers meant a tournament-style match-up, which Ibiki then showed them.

The first bracket was _Uzumaki Naruto_ vs. _Hyuuga Neji_, the second bracket read,_ Gaara _vs. _Uchiha Sasuke_. The third bracket said _Kankurou_ vs. _Aburame Shino_, and the final bracket was the most confusing. It had _Kinuta Dosu_ vs. _Nara Shikamaru_, and the winner of that match vs. _Temari_.

The genin had their own thoughts at the match-ups:

'…This will require research.'

'Looks like my match come late in the game.'

'What? It's just a tournament?'

'Aw, damn. I've got an extra match, and I don't wanna have to avenge Chouji.'

'… Hmmm… Buggy the Mime.'

'Uchiha Sasuke…'

'...'

'Hyuuga Neji, right off the bat, eh? He better pray for mercy, because he won't get any from me…'

Sandaime then explained that even though the matches were in a tournament style, the possibility of Chuunins would depend on the rating of the judges, who would be the Kazekage, the daimyos, Sandaime himself, and the head shinobi. He said that even if some were to loose in their first round, there would still be a chance of them becoming Chuunin if their match was found satisfactory. But not everyone would become Chuunin, because winning the matches would depend on the contestants showing off their skills.

"That is all," concluded Sandaime. "We are adjourned until nest month."

xxxxxxxxxxx

Minutes later found Naruto, Ino, and Sakura entering the hospital. The same receptionist from before jumped when she saw him. "She's in room 203," she said quickly.

"Arigatou gozaimasu," said Naruto, bowing lightly.

"Naruto," said Kakashi walking around the corner. "Here to see Hinata?"

"Hai," said Sakura. "Ano, sensei…"

"Sasuke's sleeping," said Kakashi

"Well then," began Naruto. "I would like a favor."

"Sorry, Naruto, I can't train you."

Naruto knew it had something to do with Sasuke, so he pointed an accusing finger at his sensei, and said, "You're training Sasuke, aren't you!?"

"Don't look at me like that," said Kakashi. "I'd train all three of you, but the shinobi council wants me to train their 'precious Uchiha' so he can plow through the competition."

Naruto snickered. "It'll be a cold day in hell before he does that…"

"Naruto-kun, be nice," admonished Sakura.

"Well," said Kakashi, handing Naruto and Sakura scrolls, "Here's jutsu for you to learn. Sakura, you get Genjutsu and the beginners' stage of Medic-ninjutsu. Naruto, from what I saw in your fight with Kiba, here's a card."

Naruto took the card confused. "How's a card supposed to help me?"

"Channel your chakra into it. I might be jumping the gun here, but if I'm right…" Kakashi trailed off as the card suddenly dampened, then split cleanly in two. "Huh," he said, gaping.

"What does that mean?" asked Ino.

"It means that he has two chakra natures… extremely rare. From the looks of things, his natures are mainly Wind, with a minor dash of Water."

"Do we have natures?" asked Ino, motioning to Sakura and herself.

"You probably do, but it'll be a while before you determine yours. Generally, elemental natures are found by the time a shinobi reaches high Chuunin. But Naruto's a special case… him having a Wind Element is even more special, because Hi no Kuni shinobi are generally fire-oriented."

Naruto took this in, grinning wryly. "Great, more surprises. Next you'll tell me that you're my uncle or something."

"Actually…"

"Stop," said Naruto, holding up a hand. "Well, who should I go see that could help me?"

Kakashi stroked his chin. "Ino's sensei Asuma is a Wind user, so he'd be first tier. Other than that, all I can offer is the Water-Walking exercise."

"Water… walking?"

"Yeah," said Kakashi, walking out the door. "Just apply the tree-climbing exercise to water and mess around with it. That's all there is to it." And with that, he was gone.

"I'm confused," said Ino. "Is your sensei always like that?"

"Yeah," said Naruto, shaking his head. "He has now made things more confusing for us… anyway, let's go see Hinata-chan."

xxxxxxxxxxx

When Naruto and company arrived at Hinata's room, they saw that she was being tended to by Haku. "Haku-chan!" said Naruto, delivering a hug to his mate.

Haku blushed and hugged him back, before smacking him lightly on the shoulder. "Naruto-kun, I have to get back to work."

"Gomen," he said, letting her go. Inhaling and exhaling, he looked solemnly to his first mate and watched the steady rise-and-fall of her chest as she slept. "How is she?" he asked.

"She's out of danger, but she still needs to recover," said Haku, looking at her clipboard. "She needs to rest of the day to build up her strength… she'll be back to normal by the end of the month, at the earliest." Looking at her mate, she solemnly said, "It was good that you got her here right away. Any longer, she would still be recovering into the next month."

Naruto let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Thank God for big favors. Speaking of favors… "Haku-chan," asked Naruto, cutting a finger and dabbing the blood into a cloth. "Something happened in the forest. Do you think you can check my blood? Just to be safe?"

Haku took the cloth and said, "I'll have the results by tomorrow, hopefully. For now, let Hinata-chan get her rest."

Naruto nodded and bowed, pausing to rub his itching eyes.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Minutes later found Naruto around the hot springs, wandering idly. Sakura-chan and Ino-chan had gone home, but not without the promise of a pleasurable night for Naruto before the Finals. Naruto giggled perversely to himself, then twitched as his ears caught a similar giggle. Looking to his far left, he saw a spiky white-haired man peeping through a hole in the wall, which he was sure was the female baths.

"Voyeur!" he exclaimed, whipping out Kubikiri Houcho and leaping at the old lecher. The man jumped aside and thrust his hand onto the ground, sending up a puff of smoke. When the smoke cleared, the man was sitting on top of an orange toad with a beaded necklace. Naruto instantly knew who this was.

"Now, now," said the Gama-Sennin, as his toad wrapped its tongue around Naruto. "We can't have you getting us in trouble with that yelling."

"You… you're Jiraiya, aren't you?"

Jiraiya grinned and went into his little dance. "Correct! The great lover of women and Mt. Myouboku's Gama-Sennin… the almighty Jiraiya!"

Naruto blinked as the toad let him down. "Okay," he said slowly. "Well, since you're here, do you think you could help me out?"

Jiraiya furrowed his brow as he dispelled his summon. "With what?"

"My training," said Naruto, crossing his arms. "You see, I just found out that I have Wind Element Chakra, and I need to learn Water-walking before the end of the month."

Jiraiya crossed his arms. "And why would I help you?"

"Because if you didn't, then I'll throw you to the angry women on the other side of that wall for peeping at them," retorted Naruto.

"Little blackmailer," muttered Jiraiya. "Tempting," he said out loud, "But give me another reason."

Naruto sighed, and muttered to himself, "It's for the training." On that note, he transformed into his Oiroke no Jutsu form… which may not have been the best idea. Because of Naruto's inherent changes, she changed as well; she oozed sexuality and caused Jiraiya to gape and bow to her magnificent form. Sweating, she transformed back into Naruto, who said, "Why are you such a pervert?"

Jiraiya, annoyed by the disappearance of the blonde goddess, laughed. "I'm not a pervert… I'm a SUPER PERVERT!!"

Naruto shook his head. Was there any difference?

xxxxxxxxxxx

Later found Naruto and Jiraiya at a river, Naruto's clothes and scroll in a heap on the river side. Naruto was attempting the water-walking exercise, but he kept going under. "Damned Kakashi-sensei," he gasped, struggling to stay above the icy water. "Damned vague Kakashi-sensei…"

Jiraiya laughed. "Cursing your sensei's not going to help you stay above the water. Try dispersing your chakra steadily and evenly through the soles of your feet," he said.

Grumbling, Naruto tried it, and to his surprise, it worked. Jumping around and rejoicing, he stopped to talk to Jiraiya a little. "Jiraiya," he began, "Do you know any… special techniques? I need all that I can learn to be a Chuunin."

Jiraiya rubbed his chin. "Judging from the length of your hair, I suppose I could teach you my Hari Jizou (Spiked Buddha) technique… it's a defensive jutsu that turns the hair of the user into a shield with quills. I like you, gaki. You remind me of myself when I was your age."

"How long ago was that?"

"Shut it, you little smart-ass," growled Jiraiya jokingly. "Also…" here he grew serious. "There's something you need to know about yourself… about the Kyuubi."

"Kyuubi doesn't live here anymore," said Naruto, only to widen his eyes when Jiraiya started shaking him.

"What do you mean!? Is the Kyuubi loose!? How are you still alive!?"

"Calm down," said Naruto slipping out of Jiraiya's grip. "In that order: When I found out, I tried to transfer seal the Kyuubi into a statue at my house, but screwed up on the seals, which in turn tore the Kyuubi out of me but left me with its chakra; I don't know where the Kyuubi is, nor am I concerned with a chakra-less Kitsune; and I don't know."

Jiraiya calmed down. "Wow… you really are something else. On that note, I think it's time for you to learn how to harness the Kyuubi's chakra that's in your system. To that end, I'm gonna teach you how to summon."

Naruto jumped in the air in triumph. "Hooray, now I can kick that snake-in-the-grass' ass!"

'Orochimaru,' thought Jiraiya, as he summoned the toad from before. "Heh, when I'm through with you kid, you'll be able to run circles around that dick." As the toad extended his tongue to reveal a scroll, it dropped the scroll and Naruto opened it.

"That," Jiraiya said, "is the Summoning Contract with the Toads. It has been passed down many generations, and currently, I am the holder. First," he continued as Naruto laid the scroll down of the ground, "write your name in blood, and then put a handprint below that." Sitting down, he added, "Then, mold chakra and place the hand you used on the contract to where you want to summon the thing. The seals are Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, and Ram. "

Naruto viewed the contract, then said out of shock, "Dad!?" He flinched at accidentally saying it out loud, but the damage was done.

Jiraiya glared at him and growled out, "Who's your daddy?"

Naruto, knowing that Jiraiya wouldn't leave him alone about it, explained to Jiraiya what had happened to him when he became a Genin. Leaving out the part about his… harem, he finished with what had happened in the Forest of Death.

Jiraiya crossed his arms. "Well, this certainly is a new can of worms… that tears it, I'm officially making you my new apprentice, to honor your father; my old apprentice. Now sign the contract."

After Naruto wrote his name and left the handprint, he said, "That it?", whereupon Jiraiya told him to try to summon something with his chakra. Performing the seals, Naruto did the technique. What showed up surprised the both of them.

A small orange toad with a blue vest appeared as the smoke cleared. He was saying, "So Sunaku was telling me how much his dad despises his current summoner, 'cause the fruity one likes the little boys…"

Blinking, the little toad looking around, saying, "Hey, this ain't home. Where's Gamatatsu?" Looking up, he saw the gaping Naruto and Jiraiya. "Hey! Who're you?"

Naruto recovered and said, "Uzumaki Naruto. And you are?"

"Gamakichi," said the toad. "Do you have some candy?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

When Naruto got to his complex, he was beat. Jiraiya was a pervert, but he was also a slave-driver. He had Naruto train with water-walking while trying to summon, which should have been impossible.

Naruto yawned, and dropped his scroll beside his bed, pausing to rub his still itching eyes. Why did they burn like this? The last time, it was because…

Naruto stopped, then slowly began to grin. He realized that he must've unlocked the fourth Tomoe of the Reinogan. Opening his scroll, he saw the required information, but he also saw something else. A kanji appeared out of nowhere; it read "Chisoku" (Speed).

Naruto bit his thumb, and rubbed his blood over the kanji. It caused to scroll to shimmer, before new writing appeared. He instantly knew what this was, based off the names and handprints on it. "Cool," he whispered. "A Summoning Contract. But what animal is it?" Deciding to go with the flow, he signed his name to this contract as well.

When he did so, he went outside, just to be on the safe side. He then went through the seals. "Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Ram… Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" A puff of smoke appeared, and when it cleared, Naruto's eyes widened.

"Wha… what!?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hehe, sorry for leaving you guys hanging. Like I said before, I already know what the animal will be, but you guys gave out some nice choices. Here are the results of the Summons poll:

**Weasels** - 1

**Dragons** - 11

**Wolves** - 5

**Foxes** - 11

**Bats** – 1

**Chimera** – 1

**Demon Fighters (Disgaea 1-2)** – 1

**Slugs** – 1

**Monkeys/Apes** – 1

**Cats (in general)** – 1

**Phoenixes** – 1

**Kyuubi (**WTF? – 1

As you can see, **Foxes** and **Dragons** were the main picks. I did contemplate **Cats** and **Wolves**, but I decided to continue with my original idea, which will be revealed next chapter. Everyone gave out good options though, so kudos to you all.

The Older Women poll is still in progress, but here's how it's looking so far:

**Kazahana Koyuki/Fujikaze Yukie** – 23

**Kakuyoku Fubuki** - 14

**Shizune** - 16

**Tsunade** - 10

**Yuuhi Kurenai** - 17

**Uzuki Yuugao** - 12

**Konan** - 16

**Ayame** – 7

**Yugito Nii** – 3

As you can see, it is a definite "Hell Yeah!" that Yukie will be in the harem, followed by Kurenai; with Konan and Shizune in a dead tie. Tsunade… I'm pretty sure that she'll more than likely be made into the Tenmuujin matriarch. As for the others… I'm leaning toward letting Fubuki, Ayame, and Yugito in the harem maybe later. Kurenai is a tough one, being that she's with Asuma-taichou. And I happen to like Asuma. Plus, I don't think it'll do well to have Naruto learn stuff from him, then steal his woman. As for Kiba's mother and sister… some of you like them, some of you hate them. Personally, I want to stick them in, but we'll see how it plays out.

Aside from that, some reviewers through these girls out:

**Karin** – 3

**Fuuma Sasame **- 3

**Isarabi** – 2

While not necessarily older, they could join the harem if I find ways to incorporate them. Isarabi is the easiest, so I have to work on Karin and Sasame.

Other than that, keep them reviews coming… Ja ne!


	7. Path to Power: Ramification, Preparation

Sweet, 268 reviews as of Halloween. Thank you all for your reviews. I apologize for the lateness, I've been trying to get a job (to pay for gas, games, and books and the like… TT… I want a Wii…). So… I'm putting up a date board on my profile to highlight events when they come up.

Reading the reviews made me realize that some of you are right… Naruto _is_ getting too much tail. But that can go either way, considering the state of the shinobi world. Here's how the harem stands as of now:

Hinata

Sakura

(Fem) Haku

Ino

Kin

Tenten

Temari

Tayuya

And here are the older women that will _definitely_ be in the harem:

Mitarashi Anko

Inuzuka Tsume

Inuzuka Hana

Kazahana Koyuki/Fujikaze Yukie  
Kakuyoku Fubuki  
Shizune  
Uzuki Yuugao  
Konan  
Ayame  
Yugito Nii

Altogether, eighteen women are definitely going be in. I'll probably max out the harem to twenty-five, which means that seven more women will go in. Here are the reasons why I took specific women off the list:

**Tsunade** – Due to popular demand, Tsunade may be a one night stand, then the Tenmuujin Clan Matriarch; in the process, she may end up getting younger. I'm still trying to work that out, but she will definitely be the Tenmuujin Matriarch.

**Yuuhi Kurenai** – Naruto is going to be mentored by Asuma during the fic. Since Asuma is the son of Sandaime Hokage (and not a Naruto-hater), Naruto would logically hold a lot of respect for him, passed on from the father. Plus, it'd be a twisted thing to learn someone's moves, then steal their significant other. It's happened to people I know, and trust me, these things end badly for all parties involved. However, if Asuma dies early, then there'll be the chance of Kurenai joining.

Last thing: Kamizuru Suzumebachi (the female bee user from Iwagakure) is being considered for the harem, as are Isarabi and Karin. Well, on with the show.

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

Blah Human dialogue

**Blah** Summon/Demon dialogue

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Chapter 7: Path to Power – Ramifications and Preparations

As a shinobi, one must expect the unexpected. That is the golden rule, as unknown variables can make or break a situation. Therefore, shinobi are trained to expect the unexpected, and to allow other to underestimate them.

All that went flying out the proverbial window, as Naruto found out. Before him was the Tenmuujin summon animal, but it was the unlikeliest animal of all. He had expected foxes, dragons… hell, maybe even bats for god's sake, but not this.

Crouched before him was a color-combo ash-gray/forest green insect.

How was this insect different from any other insect? Well, for one, it was _huge_. Naruto could tell it was standing, and the thing was up to his waist.

Another thing: It had a set of mandibles on the side of its head, and it yawned, revealing a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth and a block-like tongue. Its neck extended from the thorax for a couple of inches, and its thorax had the standard six legs of an insect on the side, near the bottom.

The first pair of legs, however, seemed less like legs and more like arms. They had bulky forearms with three blade-like spikes on the outside, and what was supposed to be a combination hand and claw (well, a massive claw, then) jutted out from the end of the forearms.

On its back were four small curved wing buds, and its abdomen was the same size (length-wise) as the head and abdomen combined. The end of the abdomen had two small spikes, which he assumed were stingers.

The insect's head had a spiked crest going from the top to the back, and it had large reflective green eyes with diamond-shaped pupils. In between the eyes were two small slits… nostrils, he guessed. Around the top of the eyes were six triangular plates… armored ridges to protect the eyes, he assumed. Finally, the insect had a blue bandana around its neck, like some semblance of a bib.

Naruto jumped as he heard a voice, then looked back at the large insect. 'No,' he reasoned in his head. Insects can't talk…

The insect blinked. Well, that was strange. Insects don't have eyelids…

"Well?" it asked, it's voice young and eager. "Who are you?"

Naruto realized that the insect could talk. His voice came out in croaks, then he cleared his head, and slowly ground out. "Gomen nasai," he said slowly. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto. Um… not to be rude… but what ARE you?"

The insect laughed, a short abrupt noise like a combination between a bark and a screech, and said, "Your summon, silly Tenmuujin."

Naruto tilted his head. "I know that… but what animal are you? I know that you're some kind of insect, but which one?"

"Megatonbo," replied the insect. Seeing Naruto blank look, it added, "Mega-dragonfly."

Naruto was now even more confused than before. What the hell was this? "A dragonfly?" he said slowly. "I'm sorry, but you don't look like one…"

"That's because I hatched about a month ago," said the dragonfly nymph. "I'll look like an adult dragonfly in maybe three years, give or take. You should see my brothers though. They hatched about two years ago and they've been adults for about five months."

"Brothers?" Naruto choked out. "There's more of you?"

"Only one of me, because I'm female," she said, holding out a claw. "Call me Chi."

Naruto hesitantly shook her claw. He had a vague idea of why she was called that, judging from the number kanji on her bandana. "Wait a minute, how'd you know I was a Tenmuujin?" he asked.

"All of the Megatonbo know the Tenmuujin by smell. Therefore, only Tenmuujin or their relations can summon us," said Chi. "If anyone else tried, we'd eat them."

Naruto paled. So, his mates couldn't summon them if he taught them how…

"Yes, they can."

Naruto's eyes widened. "How did you…?"

"It was in your eyes," said Chi, pointing at him. "Anyone who's been marked by a Tenmuujin is accepted into the Tenmuujin family. So your mates will be able to summon us if they sign the contract."

Naruto nodded numbly, falling on his backside. "This is all too much…"

Chi laughed again. "If it makes you feel any better, you've been the first one to summon his in the last century or so."

"Why's that?"

"We draw too much attention," said Chi. "One would notice giant dragonflies and either avoid them, or try and get the contract. More than likely the latter. That's why your ancestors ceased to summon us… to protect us and themselves."

Naruto nodded. That was understandable, and he would have probably ended up doing that. Well, that or taking on anyone who tried to steal his contract.

"By the way, I'm hungry. Got anything to eat?"

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Kin stared up at the starlit night from her spot at a hotel roof. The moon was full, and eerily large. She wanted to go with Naruto and the others to wish Hinata well, but the Konoha hospital would have never let her in. That, and her sensei had told her and Zaku to await one of his subordinates.

"Thinking about a certain activity under the eyes of the moon?" asked Zaku, walking beside her, a cast around his stump of a right arm.

"Get away from me," said Kin, on the defensive.

"We're teammates aren't we?" snapped Zaku, casting his dark eyes at his teammate. "What the hell is your problem?"

"You and Dosu tried to kill me, but not before trying to rape me numerous times," snarled Kin, wishing that Naruto were here with her now.

"So?" smirked Zaku. "You don't have any real uses. Besides your Genjutsu-inducing bells, there's nothing going for you except your body… a body only a fool would miss out on."

Kin backed up slowly, knowing exactly where this was going. She felt the low wall hit her backside and tensed. She wouldn't get away unless she jumped; which was suicide in any case, based off the height of this building. Only a high Chuunin or a Jounin would jump off and come away unscathed…

"Come on, Kin-chan," said Zaku, reaching for her with his still-useful left arm. "Give us a little love… you know it'll work for both parties…"

"Hell no," said Kin, drawing two kunai. "Since it's out already, I'm Uzumaki' Naruto's girl. I'll only be with him, and if you come near me, I'll kill you."

Zaku's smile fell, and he snarled, "So… you're his new bitch, are you? Well," he drew a hooked kunai. "I'll put you both into the despair that is death."

As soon as he said that, a sword jutted out of his stomach. He gasped and coughed out a gout of dark red, before falling to his knees. Kin gazed down at him with frightened eyes, then looked up to see Zaku's killer.

The man was wearing the standard uniform of an Otogakure Chuunin; a BDU scarf around the neck, a black bodysuit, and a lavender (?) kimono top with the kanji "Oto" on the back. But this one… he was wearing a pitch-black mask with large slanted white eyes and a pattern of razor-sharp teeth on the upper and lower jaw.

Kin paled, and dropped her kunai in fear. She knew who this was, and she knew that unless Naruto came out of nowhere, she was dead.

"I am Doku," said the masked-nin, as he raised his sword. "Prepare to die, for Orochimaru-sama."

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((_a few moments earlier…_))

Naruto and Chi jumped from roof to roof, as part of a new nighttime training exercise. "You're fast," Naruto commented as he landed on a rooftop.

"We dragonflies were designed for speed," said Chi as she landed beside her master. "Even as younglings, as we hunt in the water's depths."

"I'm not slowly killing you, am I?" asked Naruto alarmed. "I mean, you need water to live…"

"I'm not a fish," said Chi, giving him a condescending look. "We dragonfly nymphs are amphibious."

(A/N: Ace Phoenix – "Objection! Dragonfly nymphs have gills, so they can't breathe out of water! Your summon animal is flawed, because they're exactly like fish!"

Dez Guardius – "Yes, but a larger animal sometimes means a different biology, so the summon animal does not have gills in this sense! Instead it has Book Gills inside the abdomen, meaning that as long as the Book Gills are wet, they can survive on land! Like Horseshoe Crabs!"

Ace Phoenix – "… Nothing further.")

Naruto frowned and looked up. "You know, I could've sworn that I heard two guys arguing about something over there," he said, pointing to the group of buildings east of them. "It sounded like… meat and pudding…"

Chi raised her head and Naruto heard a snuffing noise. "Naruto-sama, I smell blood… to the west. And I think I smell one of your mates."

Instantly, Naruto raised his head and inhaled, taking in the scents on the night's air. He instantly knew who this was; who Chi had said was in danger. "Kin-chan!" Growling, he was off like a bullet, training his senses on the one who would dare to lay a hand on his mate; with Chi following right behind him.

((_back to regular time_))

Kin watched in fear as Doku raised his sword to strike her down. She knew she was a goner like Zaku, because Doku was one of Oto's top assassins. He was a Nuke-nin from Kusagakure, but he wasn't as strong as… them.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a growl, and Naruto appeared in front of her. "Na-Naruto-kun!" she gasped.

Naruto ignored her and bared his fangs at Doku. "You would dare to lay a hand on my mate!?" he growled, extending his claws.

Doku positioned his sword so he could strike down both Genin. "Uzumaki Naruto… Orochimaru-sama wants you dead the most."

Naruto grinned. "Orochimaru's next on my hit-list. As for you… farewell."

At that moment, Chi launched herself at the Oto-nin out of nowhere, hissing angrily and lashing out with claws and teeth. Doku was caught by complete surprise, and it cost him dearly.

Chi tore out Doku's throat in a flurry of motion. As the Oto-nin fell to his knees clutching his profusely bleeding throat, Chi latched her jaws around his crown and applied instant pressure. With a loud crunch, she crushed Doku's skull and let the limp body fall back.

Kin clutched at Naruto in more fear. "Na-Naruto-kun," she gasped, her eyes wide. "Wha-what is th-that?"

"Chi," said Naruto, massaging Kin's back. "That was a little much, wasn't it?"

"Gomen, Naruto-sama," said Chi as she poked at the dead assassin. "He threatened your mate, and we Megatonbo have sworn to aid the Tenmuujin in any way possible."

Kin was still wide-eyed at Chi. "Th-that's a dragonfly?" she asked shakily.

Naruto nodded, and gathered her up in his arms. "Chi, I'm taking Kin home. You can go… well, wherever you summons go when released."

Chi bowed her head and latched her claws into the dead assassin. "I'm taking him with me, because I'm hungry. I will let my family know that the Tenmuujin have returned, and we are ready and waiting."

Naruto nodded, then realized something important. "Wait, Chi!" he said, but the dragonfly nymph had already disappeared with her meal. "Crap," he muttered, then lifted Kin in his arms bridal style. "Let's go home," he said.

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(A/N: The events involving Hayate are the same as canon. As for Dosu…)

Dosu lay gasping on the roof, bleeding profusely from massive wounds all over his body. He hadn't expected Gaara to control his sand to that magnitude… and now, he was paying for it.

He was pretty sure that his limbs were useless, but he wasn't ready to die. "I swear," he spat out at the spot where Gaara once stood, blooding gushing out of his mouth. "I swear… I'll kill you… Sabaku no Gaara. I'll trade all… so I can kill you…"

As he lay there dying, a small gust of wind kicked up. His vision fading he looked up to see a dark figure with spiky hair and piercing gray ringed eyes, with pink in the area that was supposed to be white. "Wha…?" he choked out, before all went black.

((_the next morning_…))

As the sun rose, five ANBU surrounded the corpse of Hayate Gekkou, the Chuunin Exam Preliminary Proctor. The purple-haired cat-masked ANBU held his (Hayate's) sword, and then muttered, "Hayate-kun… What happened to you…?"

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In the Hokage's office, Sarutobi, the Sandaime Hokage, had a grand majority of the Jounin there assembled for a meeting, and his Hokage hat was off. Beside him were his two former teammates, now members of the Shinobi Council, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.

"I'm sure you've already heard this," said Sandaime, "the body of Hayate Gekkou was found near Kikyou Castle."

There were cries of "What?" and "Hayate?" , followed by Anko's "Did Orochimaru kill him?"

"It's too early to conclude that," said Kakashi, glancing at Anko. "Hayate was most likely trailing the Oto-spy Kabuto. But it is true that Orochimaru is trying to pull off something."

"Then we must cancel the Chuunin Exams, and go after Orochimaru…" said a brown-haired Jounin with a scar covering the left side of his face. This was Namiashi Raido, one of the aides to the Hokage.

"No," said Sandaime. "Orochimaru threatened us not to cancel the exam after he revealed himself to Anko. And the Chuunin Exam is where the ninja of all our allies participate."

"What do you mean?" asked Homura.

"Orochimaru has enough power to conquer a small country. After he left the village, I'm sure that all the other villages had their eyes on him. He harbors a grudge against Konoha… any of our enemies would want him."

"Then can it be," asked Raido, "that our allies have conspired with Orochimaru to destroy Konoha?!"

As Kakashi elaborated that the alliances between the villages were little more than verbal agreements, Sandaime lowered his head slightly. "That is why we have concluded," he began, "that Suna and Oto will attack Konoha during the final part of the Chuunin Exam."

As the gasps of horror that erupted from nearly every Jounin in the room, he continued. "We do not know yet if this can be confirmed, but we cannot afford to make mistakes. However, should it come to pass…" here he gave a little grin, "we will assemble all of Konoha's power and fight."

With that, the meeting had ended, and the Jounin began filing out of the room.

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Naruto woke up to feel a warm female body clutching him. Naruto closed his eyes, then inhaled the vanilla scent. Yes, it was Kin… his Kin, who would have died the previous night if he hadn't been training with his summon.

That got him thinking, and he slipped out of bed, kissing Kin on her cheek as she curled up sighing. Pulling on his clothes and putting his scroll on his back, he left Kin a note letting her know what he was doing for the day.

As he exited his clan grounds to meet Jiraiya once more, he reflected on what happened the past few days. Rescuing Kin from death, meeting his clan summon, Jiraiya training him…

Without mentioning his rapidly-growing ha… no, family, he knew that he would have to expand the Tenmuujin grounds. It was nice-sized currently, but it was too small for rebuilding the Tenmuujin. That got him thinking… How was he going to expand his complex with attracting a lot of attention?

That question sprung another question in mind: What was he going to do about his summons? He didn't understand contracts, but he had a feeling that without designation, he would summon random animals; either toads or dragonflies.

With that thought in mind, he knew who he had to see; the only person he could really trust since he was young. He just hoped he wasn't busy.

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"Blasted, damned paperwork," cursed Sandaime, as he filed away paper after paper. "Damn you Minato, why did you do this to me?" he lamented as more and more paperwork appeared out of nowhere. They were like ants; every time he got rid of one, three more would take its place.

"Because you're old, Sandaime-jiji," said Naruto, appearing in his window.

"As much as I appreciate your appearance," said Sandaime, casting a small grin at his surrogate grandson, "can't you see I'm busy? And why didn't you knock?"

"The window was faster," said Naruto, as he stepped in. "And plus, why don't you just use Kage Bunshin to get the paperwork done faster?"

Sandaime mentally kicked himself for not thinking of it earlier. Muttering the technique, he said in relief as he was relieved of that scourge by his clones. "Now that that's out of the way," he said, turning to Naruto, "What do you need?"

"I have two things I need to know," said Naruto. "First… if you have two summons, how are you able to summon one or the other when needed?"

Sandaime stroked his beard. "Well, the person in question would need to have Summoning Tattoos in the shape of the animal that they summon on their arms. However, only the person who summons the animals can do that."

"How do you do it?"

"First, you need a solid picture of that animal. It has to be painted, otherwise it won't work. Second, you need to paint the animal on parchment. Again, it has to be parchment, otherwise it won't work. Third, you need to wet it, then channel your chakra into the parchment before it dries. Bear in mind that it would hurt… a lot. After that, you should be able to summon whichever summon you need, be it toad or dragonfly. Just rub your blood on the tattoo you want, and perform the summoning technique."

"Yay, more blood," said Naruto sarcastically, then his mind caught up with what Sandaime said. "Wait, what did you say about dragonflies and toads? Because I don't…"

"Naruto," said Sandaime, giving him a look.

Naruto caved and said, "Sandaime-jiji, are you so bored that you'll spy on me?"

Sandaime chuckled. "Why can't an old man check on his grandson?"

Naruto snickered. "Old is right… but still, how'd you… never mind, so that's what I need to do?"

Sandaime nodded. "Although I'd rather you not try the Summoning Tattoos, it _will_ raise questions if you do summon dragonflies with people watching. So, the only alternative is the Summoning Tattoos."

Naruto nodded. "Second, I'll need to expand my clan complex, because it's going to be too small in the future."

Sandaime raised an eyebrow. "Why do you say that? You're not doing anything… risky, are you?"

Naruto started to sweat. 'Damn, he's onto me.' "No, not at the moment," he said, chuckling at his half-truth. Well, it was true. He hadn't done anything with his mates lately.

"It's just… I need to expand it, because I'd expect a population boom in later years, and I want the expansion done early so I won't have to do it later."

Sandaime nodded. "I think that I could pull a few strings and get some men and supplies to…"

"That's okay," said Naruto. "I just need the supplies, and Kage Bunshin will do the rest. I plan on adding at least four more buildings, and the back area is really open… I think at least a couple more could fit there, but I'll worry about it later. I really want it done by the end of the month."

Sandaime nodded slowly. "Okay… but how are you going to build four building, each the size of the original, in a matter of weeks?"

Naruto grinned and said, "I'm Uzumaki Naruto… I'll find a way."

"Very well," said Sandaime. "It'll take at least a week for the supplies to arrive. I'll summon you when they come, and move them to your area."

"How do you know where I live?"

"I'm Sandaime Hokage, the Professor. I know nearly everything."

Naruto laughed and went to the window, then turned around. "Arigatou, Sarutobi-jiji. You know, I haven't said this… but you're the wisest man I know."

Sandaime relished in the compliment, but decided to play a trick on Naruto to keep him guessing. And to prove that no one could predict the Professor. "Where am I?" he asked, looking around jokingly. "What day is it? …I like pudding."

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"That was fucking bizarre," said Naruto as he arrived back at his complex. "I never want to get old…" He opened the gate to see Kin and Haku talking to each other under the Sakura tree. "Hey girls," he said, waving.

(A/N: Haku's present outfit in _**WotS**_ is basically a dark green version of Shizune's outfit with the kanji "Ten" in white on the back, and a white obi around her waist.)

He found himself tackled to the ground by two overjoyed kunoichi, and he grinned to himself as he felt their magnificent bosom(s) pressing against him. 'It is good to be me, no?' he asked himself in his head.

"Where did you go, Naruto-kun?" asked Haku, lying beside him.

"To see Sandaime-jiji," he said. "Speaking of which, I need help from the two of you. I just signed two summoning contracts, so I need to make summoning tattoos. One of a toad, and one of a dragonfly."

"Summoning tattoos?" asked Haku, while Kin looked off thoughtfully. "Now that you mention it," said the former Oto-nin, "Orochimaru had a tattoo around his arm, shaped like a snake. He would rub his blood on it, then perform the summoning seals."

Naruto nodded, and pulled the two inside. "We've got tattoos to make." When they were inside, he searched through the building until he found two pieces of parchment. "I'd feel a lot better if you made the outlines… my handwriting is messy, and I'd rather not screw up on the pictures."

While Haku and Kin drew the outlines for the tattoos and filled them in, Naruto took off his scroll and jacket, clad only in his netted shirt. Sitting on the bed, he thought about how he was going to expand his complex without anyone really noticing. Seriously, it would be rather hard not to notice a bunch of work going on…

"Finished," he heard, and he looked up to see Haku holding a picture of a solid orange toad, and Kin holding a solid dark-gray dragonfly picture. Holding out his arms, he said, "Press them down on my arms, and I'll wet them, then fuse them to me."

"Naruto-kun," said Haku hesitantly. "Are you sure this is safe?"

"Yep," he said, as he poured water on the parchment. "Sandaime-jiji told me that it'll hurt a little, but it'll be okay."

When Kin and Haku had both wet parchment pieces held to Naruto's forearms, he slowly raised his right arm and put his index and middle finger on the parchment, pressing down on it. He did the same with the other and, inhaling deeply, forced his chakra from his fingers to the wet parchment.

He found out immediately that it was an understatement when Sandaime-jiji told him that it would hurt. The pain hit him like a blast of heat; he felt his arms burning where the parchment was pressing down, and he felt the searing pain like a hot brand burning into him. He let out a low noise of pain, but he kept his arms there, knowing that if he let go, then he'd have to start all over again.

Haku and Kin were startled and fearful for their mate's well-being, but he looked up at them through pain-filled eyes and grinned; even in this situation, he was optimistic. "This really hurts like hell," he gasped out. "But it's nothing… compared to that accident… I had a while back. When I think of that pain… I can stand this…"

Within a matter of minutes, it was over. Naruto let the parchments drop from his arms, revealing the smoking new tattoos there; toad on the right arm, dragonfly on the left arm. "Yatta," he muttered, then he fell back.

Haku and Kin were at his side, calling his name. "Relax," he said, his body currently feeling like lead. "All I need is a quick nap…" With that, his eyes drooped shut and he was out like a light, a silly grin on his face.

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When Naruto came to, the first thing he noticed was the sun shining through the window. The second thing he noticed were the two girls sleeping next to him, curled up next to him on either side. Inhaling, he analyzed their scents, and stored them away for the future. "Kin-chan smells of vanilla, and Haku-chan smells of fresh spring rain," he muttered, and sat up. Stretching, he felt the bones in his back pop, and he felt rejuvenated. Looking at the clock, he jumped in surprise. "Holy crap, it's 9AM!?" he half-whispered, half-yelled. He had been asleep the entire day and into the next morning.

Frantically dressing, he left a note for his sleeping mates, then ran out of the compound and to the river where he and Jiraiya were supposed to meet. When he got there, he found the Gama-Sennin looking through the bushes and giggling perversely.

"Jiraiya, will you stop doing that?" asked Naruto tiredly. "It's making you look bad."

"Where the hell have you been, gaki?" snapped Jiraiya as he turned around. "I was here the entire day, a day I could've spent out on the town."

Ignoring Jiraiya's comments, Naruto raised his right arm and pulled down the sleeve, revealing the toad tattoo. "Need I say more?" he said.

"No," said Jiraiya, bending down and inspecting the tattoo. "You did this yesterday?"

"Hai. It hurt like a bitch, but it was worth it."

Jiraiya chuckled to himself. 'This kid's something else… like the reincarnation of Minato.' "Okay then," he said. "Summon something."

Naruto nodded, bit his thumb, rubbed the blood across the tattoo, and did the seals. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" he yelled, and in a blast of smoke, he summoned a massive toad… only it wasn't the toad either of them were expecting.

The toad was wearing a navy blue yukata with a basa (conical straw hat; think Akatsuki hats) tied to the back, a netted shirt under the yukata, and he carried a black staff that was Y-shaped and spiky at the top. The toad blinked and looked around. "**How the hell did I get here?**" he asked at loud.

"You summoned Gamaken," said Jiraiya in slight awe. "Not as good as if summoning Gamabunta, but still…"

"**Oy, Jiraiya!**" shouted Gamaken, looking down at the two. "**Why did you summon me in nothing's going on!?**"

"He didn't," said Naruto, stepping forward. "I did."

Gamaken blinked, then laughed. "**As if this little gaki could summon me! Granted, I'm not as strong as my brother, but I'm still damned useful!**"

In response, Naruto raised his right arm and pulled down the sleeve, revealing the toad tattoo. "Like I said to Jiraiya, need I say more?"

Gamaken blinked again, then leaned down and looked at Jiraiya. "**Oy, Jiraiya! Did that kid really…?**"

"Yeah, he did," said Jiraiya, smirking. "He's really something else, just like my last apprentice."

Gamaken squinted down at Naruto. "**Now that you mention it, he does look like Arashi-san. Well, At least we know that the new Summoner is a good one… maybe he'll summon 'Bunta at some point.**"

Jiraiya laughed hesitantly. "Well, when it comes, it'll come."

Gamaken laughed too, and then disappeared in a puff of smoke. Naruto, who had been quiet, spoke up. "Who was that?"

"That was Gamaken," said Jiraiya. "The younger brother of the boss toad, Gamabunta. He's a bit weaker than Gamabunta, but he's fast, and he can create his own style barrier; nothing can get in, unless it was ungodly powerful."

Naruto nodded, then stumbled slightly. "Whoo," he said, massaging his head. "Summoning him took at lot more out of me than I thought."

"You can't quit now," said Jiraiya. "I'm gonna teach you some of my own jutsu."

Naruto was still Naruto, so he jumped at the chance to learn jutsu. "Yeah yeah, you said I could learn Hari Jizou! Wait, what is that anyway?"

Jiraiya shifted into a stance, and put his left hand in a half-Ram Seal. "Hari Jizou!" he said, and his spiky white hair wrapped around him, leaving only part of his face uncovered before it hardened and stuck out like quills.

Naruto analyzed it with his special eyes, and nodded. "I see," he said, as Jiraiya went back to normal. "It's like a mobile armor."

"Correct," said Jiraiya. "It's an example of a strong defense and a strong offense. It protects against most attacks, and it can stop the enemy from inflicting physical attacks. All you do is concentrate your chakra into your hair, and it will do the rest. Granted, it doesn't really work like that unless you're under attack, but you use it long enough, you can use it outside of battle."

"Cool," said Naruto. "When do we start?"

"Right now," said Jiraiya, and he whipped out two kunai and charged at the startled Naruto.

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The sun was setting as Naruto dragged himself to his compound. "Damned… sadistic… slavedriver…" he gasped as he threw off his scroll and jacket, and fell on his bed. He was out like a light later, the day's events having drained him.

Jiraiya had attacked him, in an effort to get him to use Hari Jizou. It worked, and Naruto was soon blocking every technique Jiraiya sent at him. When Jiraiya had sent a huge fireball at him, Naruto knew that he wasn't blocking this one, so he jumped onto the river, utilizing the water-walking exercise. Then it all started over again.

Naruto was asleep, but the primal part of him was alert. Someone was approaching, and his body remained still, even though he already knew who it was. His mind drifted slowly awake as he inhaled the vanilla scent of Kin, who curled up next to him. Smiling lightly, he wrapped his arms around the now-apparently naked Kin, kissed her softly, and the two drifted off to sleep.

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Haku entered the compound around 10AM the next morning, today being her free day. She sighed, thinking about how Naruto-kun had thrown himself into his training, pausing only to rest or bid them well. Granted, it was a good thing that he was doing it to protect them, but he was going to burn himself out the way he was going. Also… her mind stopped thinking as she entered the master bedroom, and she took in the sight before her with wide eyes and a blush.

Naruto was lying on his back, with Kin on top of him, her short cries of ecstasy sounding more like gasp. As she could see, the two were covered by the sheets, but they were doing the deed, if Kin's backward and forward motion were any indications.

The amazing yet disturbing part of this was that the two of them were still asleep. 'Kuso,' she cursed in her head, stepping closer to the bed. 'That should be me… but Naruto-kun said he wanted me to grieve for Zabuza-sama, so he made no motions… But…' Haku turned away and was ready to exit the room, when she felt something furry grab her wrist.

Looking down, she saw that the end of Naruto's ponytail had wrapped itself around her wrist, and was pulling her to him. This caught her completely by surprise, so she was unprepared for the arms wrapping around her waist. "Stay," she heard, and she looked down to see Naruto grinning up at her, with Kin sleeping beside him.

"Na-Naruto-kun…" said Haku, before she let out a gasp as Naruto slipped his hands beneath her kimono top, massaging her perfectly-sized breasts.

**((LEMON TIME. SAME RULES AS BEFORE; NO LIKEY, NO READY. DISCLAIMING IS KEY, AS THIS SITE ROCKS AND I'D LIKE TO STAY A MEMBER. FULL LEMONS FOR THE STORY MAY BE UP ON BY NEW YEARS.))**

All things considered, Haku was clearly ready to officially become a Tenmuujin. Her pheromones and unwillingness to let his hands leave her were clear examples. Naruto kissed the nape of her neck, and she shivered at the heat of his breath on her neck.

All too soon, she moaned in protest when his hands left her breasts, then she felt him pull her backwards. Letting him take control, she eased into his lap and let him undo the lower part of her kimono.

At length, she felt something long, hard, and warm come in contact with her thighs. She shivered at its heat and size, but she felt on some instinctive level that her Naruto-kun would never do anything to hurt her. Swallowing slightly, she lifted herself up and slowly drew the organ within her, gasping as it slowly invaded her most sacred of regions.

Naruto was aghast with awe, as Haku squirmed around him, her moans of pleasure like music to his ears. He slowly pulled her down, then felt her stiffen as he came in contact with a familiar barrier. "Ai shiteru," he whispered in ear, then swiftly took her virginity. He heard Haku cry out, and he felt her stiffen. He held his Haku-chan, whispering sweet-nothings in her ear as he let her… adjust to the new addition within her.

When he began to move, her whimpers of pain turned into coos of pleasure, and she squirmed again, wiggling her hips as the two felt the all-consuming pleasure of slow love-making take over.

**((END OF LEMON. GOMEN NASAI, BUT I'M TRYING TO PLAY IT SAFE. I FIGURE THAT WITH SHORT LEMONS, WE ALL GET THE MOOD, AND IT SETS US UP FOR THE FULL LEMONS THAT WILL COME BY NEW YEARS. ALSO, I WON"T GET BANNED FOR PROVIDING YOU GUYS A FULLY-DETAILED LEMON. SAD? YES, BUT YOU GUYS ARE WORTH IT. THEREFORE, THE STORY FORMAT IS HAVING AT LEAST 1 SHORT LEMON EVERY THIRD CHAPTER AT LEAST.))**

Moments later found Naruto sitting on his bed, with Haku curled up next to him covered by only a sheet, and Kin still sleeping, a smile on her face. Haku still cooed every so often, and Naruto giggled perversely at their activities. "Haku-chan," he said, stroking her hair. "I never knew you could use your Kekkai Genkai like that…"

Haku blushed deeply. "Gomen nasai, Naruto-kun. I was just so hot… and ice cools all who are hot."

Naruto chuckled. "No need to worry, I'm okay. By the way, do you have the results of that blood test?"

"Hai!" nodded Haku, and she stood up, taking the sheet with her. The sheet was wrapped around her like a towel, and Naruto growled on the inside at not being able to see his Haku-chan's luscious body. She went over to her pouch, and pulled out a folded sheet of paper.

"The tests showed that there were large changes done to you, such as certain genes being unlocked."

"Um… what does that mean?" Even though he was smarter, Naruto was still science-talk illiterate.

"In the human body, there are genes that are active and genes that are inactive. This determines how the body develops, and it's also what separates us from the animals. The genes that are responsible for this are called Repressor Genes. Are you with me so far?"

When Naruto nodded, she continued. "However, there will be the occasion where these Repressor Genes fail to activate, and cause mutations in the person as they develop in their mother's womb. Most of the time, it's due to inbreeding, but it can happen over time. An example is the Inuzuka clan; certain Repressor genes failed to activate with their founder, and they develop enhanced senses as a result. Because this can be genetic, it was passed down the generations, and you have the Inuzuka clan as it is now."

"And that's what happen to me?"

"Hai," said Haku. "Something happened to you, and it changed your genetic structure. You're still human, but you've gotten certain animalistic traits to you as well. Whatever happened, it's changed your body to adapt to a primitive state of the world. You're like an Alpha Male… the strongest of the species, and willing to do all to protect your family."

'So, that's what happened,' he thought. "Haku-chan, come. I have something to tell you…"

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I'm finally done with Chapter Seven. As you all can see, Naruto's second summons are Dragonflies. Don't knock the dragonflies; they're the oldest and nearly best insects of all time. Next chapter will have Naruto's revelation to Haku, and Haku telling him a story of her own. Also, more training, the expanding of the Tenmuujin compound, and Hinata comes back. Hooray!!

After Hinata shows, the Chuunin Exam Finals will begin, and the matches that we have all been waiting for (read: Naruto vs. Neji). Hopefully, I'll have that done by the end of November. Reason is because I have to do some experiments for my General Physical Science class, report my findings, then turn them in on the 30th. Good news about them; I'll enjoy them because I get to use stuff that can turn out dangerous if you know how to use them… (insert evil grin here)

Lastly, thanks for all the reviews and Story/Author Alerts/Favorites. As for Naruto's fourth Tomoe, me not mentioning it was deliberate because I wanted you all to see it in action, then explain it. As for the fifth Tomoe… well, let's just say Naruto will hate his ancestors for "being so damned cryptic". Also, training with Asuma will be in later chapters, and you readers can try to figure out who the mystery man who took Dosu away.

Happy Birthday, **Ryan L. Spradling**, and may the rest of you loyal readers have a Happy Thanksgiving! Ja ne!


	8. Path to Power: Heaven's Trials of Glory

Cool, people really like this last chapter. I figured that people would never guess that the 2nd summon animals were dragonflies (the only people who knew before-hand were people close to me that I told), but you readers gave out good guesses. Dragons, cats, wolves… hell, I wasn't expecting someone to throw out Chimera. It would really be interesting for Naruto to summon one of them, but I already have a plan for the Chimera…

Some people wanted to know what Naruto meant when he said that he never knew Haku could "use her Kekkai Genkai like that". shakes head Naïve, pure-minded readers… imagine it… a female feeling the searing heat of sex coursing through her, and she has a Kekkai Genkai that let's her manipulate ice… THINK ABOUT IT.

Same disclaimer as always; I don't own Naruto. If I did, then Hinata would jumped that idiot already, and Sasuke would not be the superman Kishimoto-sama's making him out to be in Shippuuden…

Blah Human dialogue

**Blah** Summon/Demon dialogue

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Chapter 8: Path to Power – Heaven's Trials of Glory

"Naruto-kun, is this really necessary?" asked Kin, as she on his back while he did push-ups.

"Hai," said Naruto as he counted out "thirty-five". "I've been going over Fuzzy Brow's fight in my head, and trying to find a way to defeat Tom Nook..."

"Who's Tom Nook?" asked Kin confused.

"That Gaara kid has a Bijuu inside him, specifically Suna no Shukaku, the Ichibi no Tanuki."

Kin raised her eyebrows in amazement. "Why did you call him Tom Nook… wait, how do you know that?" she asked.

"Forty-two… He smells like a Tanuki, and he controls sand. Put those two together, and you have a Jinchuuriki of Shukaku…"

He grunted out "forty-nine", then "fifty", and then sat up. Kin wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled his cheek. "Naruto-kun… you're living proof against that… I mean, just because you have… er, had a demon sealed in you doesn't mean that you're the demon itself, or its sacrifice. You are still you."

Naruto grinned and gazed up at the nearly cloudless afternoon sky, remembering the events of hours before…

_**Flashback…**_

"Haku-chan, I have something to tell you," said Naruto as Haku sat next to him. When she motioned him to continue, he inhaled deeply then let out a breath. "You and I are both alike more than you know… we both have something that made people hate us, hate our existence. With you, it was the Kiri-nin who hated, and still probably do, your Hyouton Kekkai Genkai. With me… it was a certain Kitsune."

"Kitsune?" asked Haku confused. "Why would people hate you over a simple Kitsune?"

Naruto laughed dryly. "This was no simple Kitsune. This was an entity of pure chakra, with unlimited power and malice, who made its way to Konoha decades ago with nothing in mind but Konoha's destruction."

Now Haku knew what Kitsune he was talking about. "The Kyuubi?" she whispered. "We heard that it attacked Konoha, but it was killed by Yondaime Hokage-sama, at the cost of his own life. But how did it come to you?"

Naruto concentrated his chakra to his stomach to reveal to torn and tattered seal. "Otou-san wasn't able to kill the Kyuubi… no one shinobi, no matter how strong they are, is a match for any of the Kyuu no Bijuu. Kyuubi was the strongest, so it was be damned impossible for a shinobi to flat-out kill it. So he choose the only other option…"

"He sealed it in you…" finished Haku.

"Hai," said Naruto. "So I spent the next thirteen years wondering why my entire village, excluding Hinata-chan, Sandaime-jiji, and Iruka-sensei, hated my guts. I found out the day I became a Genin and found my clan's legacy." He pointed at the tattered seal and added, "The reason it looks like this is because after I found out about Kyuubi-teme, I tried to transfer seal him into a stone Kitsune."

A light laugh sounded behind him, and Kin sat up, her front covered by a sheet she was holding. "That wasn't too smart… we were taught that someone who loses a sealed being in them dies from the shock of losing something that was bonded to them from birth."

Naruto was quiet, then he blinked slowly. "Ano… when did you wake up, Kin-chan?"

"Not long ago," said the former Oto-nin, flicking aside a strand of black hair. "But why did you try to unseal the Kyuubi?"

"To torment his tailed ass," said Naruto dryly. "The statue had holy seals all over it, so I figured that a Youkai like him would be burning because of the holy goodness conflicting with all of his evil. Then the bastard told me the info you just did, and I screwed up on the jutsu…"

Haku and Kin's eyes went wide. "Naruto-kun…" began Haku, with Kin finishing with, "do you know how dangerous that is?"

Naruto chuckled hesitantly, "Yeah, I got that when the chakra made the area explode… that's what happened to that stone fox outside. My guess is that the screwed up jutsu tore the Kyuubi's spirit out of my body and left me with his chakra."

"And that made your body change," finished Haku, catching on. Closing her eyes, she said, "This makes a lot of sense now…"

On one accord, the two kunoichi tackled their lover to the bed, hugging him as one. "You are still you, Naruto-kun," said Haku.

"Nothing will make us say so otherwise," added Kin. "It is you we love, not the former vessel you were."

Naruto was stymied. He had expected something like this, but not to this magnitude. They had just about pledged their loyalty to him. "I… don't know what to say," he said, hugging them both. "Except that I love you all."

_**End Flashback…**_

Naruto felt Haku join in on their hug, and embraced her as well. Offhandedly, he distantly remembered that he had to go see Hinata-chan, to raise her spirits. "Kin-chan, I'm gonna go see Hinata-chan," he said, standing up.

"I'll go too," said Kin. "Haku wanted to take me out to get a new outfit, anyway."

"That's right," said Haku. "It would do to have anyone recognize you, since you're an unofficial Nuke-nin from Otogakure…"

Within moments, the three had departed from the Tenmuujin grounds and soon found themselves walking down a shopping district. When they came to a shop, Naruto stood outside while Haku and Kin went in. Nearly an hour passed before they reappeared, and Naruto was rapidly growing bored. However, his attention was caught by the appearance of Haku and Kin… well, the new-and-improved Kin.

Kin had kept her shinobi foot-ware and her purple ribbon, but those were the only things left of the old Kin. Her new outfit had her wearing a black shirt that had no sleeves and ended just above her navel, and a black skirt that went down to her knees, and had straps on either side going up her front and connecting on her back, before ending on the opposite side. She also wore a pair of BDU-style arm-warmers that went past her elbows, with fingerless gloves donning each hand.

"Now all I need is a Konoha hitai-ate, and I'm set," said the new Kin, blushing lightly at the staring Naruto.

"You know," said Naruto, "I'm pretty sure you girls are just trying to catch my attention. Well, you've done it."

With that, they were on their way, continuing through the crowded shopping district. And as always, there were the glares that attacked both Naruto's front flank and rear flank. The ones giving the glares would then look away at the piercing gaze given to them by Haku.

"That's okay, Haku-chan," said Naruto, ignoring the glares. "I'm sorta used to it."

"Don't they even know that you're the only thing standing between them and a cruel, horrible death?" asked Kin vehemently.

"They don't care," shrugged Naruto. "I'm just a scapegoat to them… though now, I'll probably be taking less shit than before…" He punctuated that by catching a thrown brick that was headed toward the back of Kin's head, and crushed it to powder. "Don't do that again," he growled to the thrower, his eyes flashing orange.

As the glares changed to looks of fear, Naruto and his mates were given a wide berth as they went to the hospital. When they arrived, the same receptionist from before paled a little at seeing Naruto, but she was stunned when he bowed to her and said, "Arigatou gozaimasu. I apologize for my earlier actions… I was stressed and panicking."

The nurse nodded slowly and said, "Apology accepted… Uzumaki-san."

Naruto bowed at the waist and, upon receiving directions, he and his mates made their way to Hinata's room. When they arrived outside her door, they heard someone coldly speaking to the Hyuuga heiress. The voice was male, and with an unhealthy amount of disdain.

"How could you lose to another Genin, and a Hyuuga Branch member at that? Do you realize what this says for the clan? It says that the Branch Family is stronger than the main family, and that is cause for a possible revolt! Your weakness may bring about the destruction of the Hyuuga, and what do you have to say for yourself?"

To everyone's amazement, Hinata soft voice wafted through the air. "It says that I was obviously outmatched, but I fought long enough to make him think twice before fighting me. Yes, Otou-sama, I lost against Neji-nii-san, but part of the reason lies in your teachings."

Uh-oh, shy Hinata-chan was coming out of her shell. Talking back to her father, and insulting him at the same time. Admirable, but foolish, considering the age and power difference between the two.

Hyuuga Hiashi, head of the Hyuuga Clan, had to admire his daughter's courage to backtalk him. It showed that she wasn't so weak and timid after all, but it also showed that she had a bit of insolence in her. Insolence that needed to be dealt with.

His Byakugan slowly activating, he growled, "Watch your tone with me, daughter." He slowly flexed his hands under his robes, waiting for her to say the wrong thing.

And she did. "It is true otou-sama. You did not train me as you should have, so part of the fault of my defeat lies with you, as well as myself."

Hiashi stood up rapidly, his eyes blazing, and snarled, "Watch your mouth!" When he heard Hinata gasp, he barely noticed the flicker of chakra behind him, but he felt the crushing grip on his shoulder.

"This is a hospital, Hyuuga-dono," said Naruto, lightly grinning. Hinata and Hiashi could tell that it was forced. Even though he was shorter than Hiashi, he still able to reach the Hyuuga head's shoulder with an arm. Naruto's grip on Hiashi's shoulder tightened, making the Hyuuga clan head wince. "You're supposed to treat the patients with tender care… even more so if they're your family."

"He's right," said Haku, coming in with Kin behind her. "Even if you are the Hyuuga head, I will have to ask you to leave if you can't be civil with the patients."

Hiashi scoffed, and shook off Naruto's hand, wincing as he did so. "What are you doing here… Uzumaki?"

"I just came to see how Hinata-chan was doing, considering her cousin almost killed her… but not until after she gave his body a lesson he wouldn't forget," snickered Naruto.

"Well, you've seen my worthless daughter, now leave," said Hiashi coldly.

Naruto raised his eyebrows. "Worthless? Hyuuga-dono, would that insult you as well, since you provided most of the necessities…?"

Ouch. Another shinobi, another dosage of burns. Naruto just insulted the Hyuuga head's manhood, as well as his genes and skills. Hiashi growled, "How dare you!? Hinata lost to Neji because she was weaker than he… even Hanabi, her younger sister by five years, is stronger than she is!"

"Or maybe Hinata-chan has a special hidden power that you don't know about," shot back Naruto.

"Bah, I have no time for this," said the disgusted Hyuuga head as he turned around. "Hinata will be regulated to the Branch Family for her failure, and that is it. Neji is perhaps the strongest Hyuuga besides myself, and nothing will change that."

"Wanna bet?" grinned Naruto, his eyes slanted and flashing between orange, red, purple, and blue.

Hiashi was about to send off a nasty retort when an idea hit him. An awful idea. Hiashi had a wonderful, awful idea… note the Dr. Seuss reference. At his… idea, Hiashi voiced his idea. "You say, you want to bet, do you? Very well. When you lose to my nephew, you will abandon your ambition of Hokage, and be regulated into the Branch Family along with my worthless daughter, since you seem to care so much."

"And when I kick Neji's ass like a sack of potatoes, you keep Hinata-chan in the Main Family, and you start treating her like what she is… your daughter."

This gave Hiashi pause. Why was the Kyuubi-brat so concerned for his daughter's well-being? He shook his head, and looked down at Naruto's outstretched hand. "What?"

"This is how bets are sealed. We have witnesses, we shake hands to seal the deal, and that's it. No strings attached," said Naruto.

Reluctantly, the Hyuuga head shook hands with the blonde, who then added hastily, "I also wish to court your daughter." Grinning nastily, Hiashi said, "Denied. She will marry a clan heir when she is of age, and no other. Even if you somehow defeat Neji, she will still be bound under our laws, and she will marry the strongest clan heir available. And so, I bid you good day."

With that, the Hyuuga head turned on his heel and left. As soon as he was gone, Naruto snickered and said, "If only he knew…" Feeling sets of eyes on him, he turned around to see Hinata, Haku, and Kin staring at him. "What?"

"Naruto-kun, though I admire you defending me," said Hinata, "Why did you antagonize my otou-sama?"

"Needless to say Hinata-chan, your dad's a major prick. Not as big as Sasuke, so I respect him a little, but he's up there," said Naruto, crossing his arms.

"Yes, but now you've made an enemy for life," she said.

"If my father was still alive, he would have tried to kill you for insulting his manhood," said Haku, agreeing with her friend.

"Look, I'm not gonna stand by and let him insult one of my mates," said Naruto indignantly. "I was just trying to take him down a peg, since he seemed so high and mighty like Neji, and since he's so concerned with trying to prove that Hinata-chan's worthless, that would mean that any short-comings came mainly from him, since he provided…" Naruto trailed off as he came to a realization as to what he had actually said to the Hyuuga head.

With three of his mates in the same room as him, he began to pale as he realized the implications of his insult. Providing most of the necessities… providing those life-giving cells into a body that gives life…

He vaguely heard Kin call his name, and he muttered out, "I'll be fine… just need a glass… of water…" With that, he passed out.

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When Naruto came to, he found himself being gazed at by five pairs of feminine eyes. "Where am I? Am I finally dead? Because I see five angels that look like my mates…"

Giggling lightly, the girls hugged their beloved male. "No Naruto-kun, you're not dead," said Sakura from her point to his right.

Naruto let out a sigh of relief, then paled again as his memories before him passing out hit him. "Ano…" he began hesitantly, "None of you have felt… strange lately, have you?"

Looking at each other confused, the five girls shook their heads. "You don't look so good, Naruto-kun," said Kin, resting a hand on his forehead.

Naruto let out a sigh of relief. "I'm fine," he said. "Just a bit of stress catching up. I guess it just wasn't time yet…"

"Wasn't time for what?" asked Ino.

Naruto shook his head. "I'm not sure… I've probably been training too hard."

"That you have," said Kin, wagging a finger at him. "Didn't I tell you not to over-exert yourself?"

Naruto laughed sheepishly, rubbing his head. "Yeah, well, I'll lay off the training for a while, because I've got something else to do, judging from the patient hawk at the window."

All eyes went to the window, where a certain hawk sat on the sill. When it was mentioned, it hopped over to Naruto, where it jumped onto his head and pecked him.

"Itai!" went Naruto, as the hawk jumped off his head. "I suppose I deserved that for making you wait," he said, as the hawk held his leg to reveal the message scroll that was tied there.

Even though he already knew what it was about, he still read it out loud for their benefit. "_Uzumaki Naruto, your materials have come in. Awaiting your response via Takamaru. Signed, Sandaime Hokage._"

"What materials?" asked Ino.

"I'm sorta making the complex bigger, so I ordered a bunch of supplies," said Naruto. "Hopefully, I'll be done by the end of the week."

"Okay," said Kin, nodding slowly, "but what does that do for us?"

"You can stay at the compound if you want to," said Naruto, mentally kicking himself for not thinking the whole thing through. "It might be a bit loud, but I know some Silencing Jutsu…"

"No, Naruto-kun," said Sakura, interrupting Naruto's hasty improvisation. "Haku-chan and Kin-chan can stay at my house. My parents say that I need more female friends, so this could be a good time to bond."

"Are you sure?" asked Naruto. "I don't want to force this on you…"

"That's okay," said Kin. "I wanted to get to know the rest of the family as well."

"Okay," nodded Naruto slowly, and he beckoned to Takamaru. The ever-so-patient hawk hopped over to Naruto, waited as he scrawled out his response to Sarutobi, then tied the message to Takamaru's leg. The hawk ruffled its wings, then flapped and lifted off. It circled the room… then pecked Naruto's head… again.

"Itai!" growled out Naruto as he clutched his head, and the girls watched Takamaru leave through the window.

"He really doesn't like waiting," said Ino, breaking the silence, and they all started laughing.

"Yeah, yeah, real funny," muttered Naruto. He stiffened at the sound of light coughing, and spun to Hinata.

"I'm fine, Naruto-kun," she said, swiftly removing her hand from her mouth. "Really, I'm fine."

Ignoring her protests, Naruto muttered, "Reinogan no Tomoe: Kanchi San." His eyes instantly went from blue to shimmering orange, and he could see into his Hinata-chan. His eyes centered on her beating heart, which had a slight tear near the front. "Haku-chan," he asked slowly, "How bad is a tear in the heart?"

(A/N: The heart is really a large muscle, so there is the possibility of a tear existing in this scenario.)

Haku felt her heart skip a beat. "Naruto-kun, what do you see?" When Naruto described the tear, she felt sick. "Naruto-kun… a tear to the heart is fatal. We thought Neji missed her heart with the Jyuuken, but from what you just said, Neji touched it."

Hinata felt her own heart race, and she heard the others stifled their own respective gasps. "Does… that mean… I will die?" she asked tearfully.

"It's hard to say. This is something new, and the heart is a delicate organ. What's definite is… that you can no longer be a kunoichi. The stress to your heart would be too great doing any strenuous activity, and it could result with your death." Haku dropped her head. "We could try healing treatments, but we don't know if that would help or worsen things… I'm sorry…"

Naruto felt even more rage at Neji. "Teme…" he growled, his nails lengthening. His killing intent began to rise, until he remembered what Haku said about the healing. "Wait… did you say that the healing treatments could help?" he asked Haku.

Haku raised her head and looked him in the eye, and realized what he was going to do. "Naruto-kun, no."

"No what?" asked Kin.

"Naruto-kun is going to attempt to heal the damage with his own chakra," said Haku. "If we medic-nin can't do it, what makes you so sure that you can?"

"Because I have something that most shinobi don't have," said Naruto. "A second store of chakra. And plus, you said that that was the only thing that might work."

"I also said that it was risky, because it could worsen the damage," said Haku.

"I'll try it."

"Nani!?" went the cry to Hinata.

"I'll try the chakra therapy that Naruto-kun offered," said Hinata. "Like both of you said, it could go either way. If it works, then it works. If it fails…" here, Hinata trailed off.

"On that note," said Naruto, now with hesitation in his voice, "I feel less comfortable doing it."

"Naruto-kun…"

"Hai," said Naruto, walking over to Hinata. When she lay down on her back, Naruto put his hands over her sternum. "I don't know what will happen, since I'm always on adrenaline when my second chakra comes out…"

"Naruto-kun, please stop stalling and continue."

Naruto gulped and went deep into himself. Calling up the Youkai chakra deep within him, his hands were bathed in cloudy red chakra. The red chakra went into Hinata's body, and she let out a loud gasp at the heat of the Youkai. "So hot…" she whispered, her eyes wide.

Naruto watched through his eyes as the red chakra surrounded Hinata's heart, and ever so slowly, mended the damage done to her. After what seemed like hours, the tear in her heart was mended, and Naruto ceased the chakra session, panting at the amount of concentration it had taken. Hinata, on the other hand, had fallen asleep as soon as the chakra flow had stopped.

Haku came out of nowhere, and checked Hinata's vitals. After a moment, she said, "She in peak condition. When she wakes up, she'll be free to go." Grinning, she hugged her mate. "I'll never doubt you again."

"Yeah, well," said Naruto, grinning sheepishly. "I'll settle for this, for the moment."

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The entire operation had taken a little over three hours. As Naruto staggered out of Hinata's room, he caught sight of Shikamaru coming down the hallway. Straightening, he waved. "Hey Shikamaru, what's up?"

"Naruto?" said Shikamaru, tilting his head. "Quiet? In a hospital? It must be a sign of the Apocalypse…"

"Bite me, Shika."

"That's the Naruto I know," said Shikamaru, grinning. "And to answer your question, Chouji ate a bunch of BBQ yesterday and got indigestion. I can't seem to find Ino, so I'm bringing him this basket of fruit."

In regards to Ino, Naruto nonchalantly looked in the other direction and said, "I'm sure she's out trying to make herself look even more pretty… not to make her sound vain, I mean."

"This is true," said Shikamaru, as the two dropped off the fruit in Chouji's room. The Akamichi was grateful to his friends/visitors, and the two of them left their fellow shinobi to his food. They were on their way to see Rock Lee, when they saw Gaara slip into Lee's room. It was when they saw the sand that they moved.

Gaara stood before Lee. He glared down at the unconscious Genin, then clutched his head in agony. Shukaku was restless, and sent images through his head. His younger self, a picture of his mother Kareru, his uncle Yashumaru who betrayed him, and finally, the last day he ever cried.

Dropping the cork, he let his sand seep out. Only with Lee death would he be satisfied, only with the sand devouring him could he slake his lust for blood. He was about to make the final move, the closing of his fist that would perform the Sabaku Kyuu, when he realized his body wasn't moving.

He got the reason when Naruto gave a solid blow to the cheek, which made Shikamaru move with him. The impact also caused Gaara's cheek to crack, revealing that he had the Suna no Yoroi.

"What the hell are you trying to pull!?" yelled Naruto, to which Gaara replied with a stony expression, "I tried to kill him."

"Why do you need to do that?" asked Shikamaru, narrowing his eyes. "You won the match, why do you need to kill him? Do you have a vendetta against Lee?"

The sand had stopped moving, so they were safe for the moment. "I wanted to kill him because I wanted him dead. If you bother me, I'll kill you too."

"Just try!" growled Naruto, flashing his blue-slitted eyes, only to be calmed by Shikamaru. Shikamaru then tried to bluff Gaara, saying that he and Naruto were as strong as he was, and that it was two-on-one.

Narrowing his eyes, Gaara replied, "I'll say this once more: If you cross me, I _will_ kill you." When Naruto said that he couldn't be killed, Shikamaru reprimanded him, saying that Gaara was as strong as a monster. Naruto grinned wryly and said, "I have a real monster inside me… one now begging for release."

"A monster, eh?" said Gaara. "Then I am the same."

Shikamaru stiffened. This wasn't good, no matter what Naruto said. And he would have to look into what Naruto had said later.

"I did not grow up in a nice environment. I took the life of the one called my mother when I was born. To become the ultimate shinobi, my father used a Fuuin Jutsu to seal an incarnate of the sand into me."

"Ichibi no Tanunki… Suna no Shukaku," said Naruto. "It was said to be the living soul of an Elder Suna Priest, but is actually one of the Kyuu no Bijuu."

Shikamaru was flabbergasted. Not only did Suna have a mentally unstable shinobi, said shinobi had a demon sealed in him at birth. "That's not what a parent should do. What a twisted way to show love."

"Love? Don't measure me by your values." Here, Gaara launched into a monologue. "Family? Let me tell you what kind of link I have with them. They are just piles of flesh linked by hatred, greed, and murderous intent."

"I took the life of my mother to become Sunagakure's masterpiece. And as the Kazekage's son, my father taught me Ninjutsu. I grew up spoiled, overprotected, and left alone. I thought that was love. Until the incident happened."

At the confused looks sent at him, he continued. "These past years… since I was six…" Here he grinned maniacally "…my father tried to have me assassinated on several occasions."

That shocked the two, Naruto less so since he figured that he and Gaara had similar lives. "B-but you said that he spoiled you," said Shikamaru.

"So? A spirit that is strong eventually becomes feared. Since I was born from the usage of the technique, my mind has been unstable. Those idiots in my village finally realized that my emotions were unpredictable. To the Kazekage, I was the village's trump card… but I was a threat at the same time. After I turned six, I was classified as a threat to the village. A dangerous tool, but one to be handled with care all the same. I am only a relic of the past that they seek to be rid of."

'Just like me,' thought Naruto as he continued.

"Why do I exist? I've asked myself that question several times, with no answer. But I need the answer while I am still alive. Or else I'd consider myself dead."

"And this is what I concluded: I exist to kill everyone besides myself. After fearing assassination, I found relief within it. By killing my assassins, I was able to live. Where I fight, I might for myself. Where I live, I live for myself. As long as there are people for me to kill, my existence will remain. And as long as I feel that people make me feel that… all is right with the world."

'Kuso,' thought Naruto. 'I'm still a drained from the chakra session, and Shikamaru wouldn't stand a chance against him.' He was cut from his thoughts by the sand that moved. It towered above Naruto and Shikamaru, startling the two of them.

"Come…" said Gaara, grinning maniacally. "Help me feel alive!!"

Gaara would have had the two Genin if not for Gai, who stepped into the room and told Gaara to cut it out. "The Main Matches are in a week. Don't get hasty, or you'll end up a patient here as well."

The sight of Gai caused another pang of pain in Gaara's head. While he clutched his head, he withdrew the sand in the room back into his gourd. Clutching his head, he stalked at of the room, but at the door, glared at the three of them and said, "I'm going to kill you guys. Just wait."

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Excluding that incident, the week passed without any major incident. Naruto had retrieved the supplies that Sandaime had given him and gone straight to work. He transported them from the abandoned training grounds to his compound, and used Kage Bunshin to its fullest extent.

Day after day, he worked with the clones, resting only when he needed, then getting back to work. Sure enough, the day came when he was done, and the Tenmuujin grounds now had a larger area, and five buildings had been added; all similar to the buildings connected to the main complex.

"And now I have a hot springs," he said triumphantly. Congratulating himself on a job well done, he set out to clean up. There was the matter of the loose earth and unused supplies; he sealed those away for later use. Then he set out to retrieve his mates.

First, he went to see Hinata. When he got to the hospital, the same receptionist was there, and she had apparently grown a lot friendlier toward him. "Konnichi wa, Uzumaki-san. I'm sorry, but Hyuuga Hinata-sama is not here. She was discharged with a clean bill of health a few minutes ago."

Naruto kicked the floor. "Crud, I just barely missed. Arigatou gozaimasu," he said, waving goodbye as he left.

That plan shot, he figured that he'd go find the rest of the girls. He set off through the marketplace, and saw a familiar four-ponytail-wearing blonde. "Hi, Temari-chan."

Temari turned around, and slightly reddened. "Konnichi wa, Naruto-san," she said, bowing. "You seem to be in a good mood."

"I am," he said. "The Chuunin Exam Finals are tomorrow, and my beloved First Mate is free from the accursed hospital. The problem I have now is finding her."

"Maybe I could help," said Temari. "Your… First Mate… is the Hyuuga girl, right?"

"Yep!" Enthusiastically, he grabbed Temari's hand and pulled her through the marketplace, blissfully unaware of her blush.

It wasn't long before they found Sakura, Ino, Kin, and Haku. "Guess what?" said Naruto. "The place is all done, so you can come see it."

"You finished building in your clan complex already?" said Ino, genuinely impressed. "Impressive."

"Now all we need to do is find Hinata-chan," said Kin.

"But where would she be?" said Sakura. "She might've gone home, but then again, her father really doesn't like her, so she might have gone to find out where you live."

"She already knows where I live," said Naruto. "I'll lead the way."

Moments later found them outside the Tenmuujin compound. Sakura, Ino, and Temari, having never been to his house, were amazed by the size and beauty of it. "You live here?" the three girls said as one.

"Yes, he does," came a familiar voice. Hinata appeared, smiling brightly.

For some reason, Temari felt the urge to submit to her. She dropped to one knee, alarming Naruto and the others. "I'm sorry," said Temari, standing up and blushing. "I don't know what came over me."

"It's okay," said Hinata, lacing her fingers with Naruto's. "Naruto-kun did say that he would bring any potentials to me, and I really like you."

Naruto reddened. He had forgotten about that. He guessed that his worry over Hinata overruled what force compelled him to gather. Clearing his throat, he said, "Ladies, welcome to my humble home."

When the gate opened, girls squealed with delighted at the refurbished complex. "Naruto-kun," said Haku, kissing him on the cheek, "You've really outdone yourself this time."

"Aw, shucks," he said, reddening, while missing the predatory looks he was getting from Sakura and Ino. On the same accord, the two rivals jumped him, making him yelp. "Naruto-kuuun…" purred Sakura, running a soft hand down his front. "I've still got that promise I made to you…"

"Don't hog Naruto-kun," snapped Ino, her blue eyes flashing.

"Listen to your own advice," said Kin, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Naruto-kun knows what he wants… right, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto's response was the cross-shaped seal that had become his signature move. Five Naruto's flickered into existence, and they each went to a surprised girl, while the original stayed with Sakura. "Yes, we do," said the five Naruto's with his new patented lady-killer smile.

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(A/N: What happened next was an orgy. You all know the reason why I can't have it here. So then, this will skip to the next day, at the Chuunin Exam Finals.)

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"Where is he?" muttered Sarutobi, as the Kazekage joined him in the Hokage box.

Sakura looked out over the stands, down to the field. All the contenders were there, except for Naruto and Sasuke. "Where is he?" she wondered.

"Don't worry," said Ino, as she sat next to her friend. "He'll be here. He wouldn't miss this for the world."

Meanwhile, down in the arena, Neji smirked. "Looks like that loser chickened out at the last minute," he said.

Temari narrowed her eyes. 'Naruto-kun should be here by now… what is he doing?'

Shiranui Genma, the Finals proctor, twitched the senbon in his mouth, then groaned. "Okay," he said out loud. "If Uzumaki Naruto is not here in five minutes, then he is… where the hell did that mist come from?"

True to form, mist had appeared in the arena, and it seemed to be moving. "What the hell is going on?" muttered Kiba, as he and Hinata sat down.

The mist flowed to the spot next to Neji, then concentrated. The mist in the arena condensed, then formed, rising into the air, and began to solidify. The form that began to take shape became recognizable as it completely formed… to reveal Uzumaki Naruto.

In the silence that ensued, Naruto grinned and said, "I'm here to kick ass and eat cups of ramen, and I'm all out of ramen."

The only other voice that was heard was Asuma's: "Damn if that wasn't cool!!"

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Hehe, I got it. Just in time for Christmas. I apologize for the lateness, but I sent the first version of this chapter to my beta, who lives in Missouri. We all know what happened there.

I thank you all for your patience, and wish you all holiday cheer. Merry Christmas everyone, and have a super special awesome New Year.

ON a final note, I'm immediately working on the fights as of the day after Christmas. The next chapter will be ready by January 10th, at the latest. Ja ne!


	9. Path to Power: Strongest under Heaven

I really appreciate the way you readers have been patient with me. I know that I keep saying updates will be every end of the week, but circumstances keep conspiring against me. Not to make excuses, but job-hunting, then the subsequent job-working tends to take up ones time.

Which is why I'm aspiring to make this chapter the best one so far. At some point, I'm going to create a link to an unedited version of this… most likely on due to popularities sake.

Same disclaimer as always.

Blah Human dialogue

**Blah** Summon/Demon dialogue

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Chapter 9: Path to Power – Strongest under the Heavens

Sarutobi chuckled to himself as Genma issued orders to the finalists. "That Naruto…" he chuckled, "He's really is the most surprising shinobi in the village."

"What was that, Hokage-dono?" asked the Kazekage, his eyes on the arena.

"Just something Naruto-san told me once… something I now believe to be true," said Sarutobi, silently applauding his surrogate grandson. Naruto had made an amazing entrance, and if that didn't draw astonishment, then his new outfit did.

Naruto was wearing a high-collared sleeveless top that looked like it was made out of leather, with a strip of tan in the middle and dark blue (nearly black) on the outside. The blue parts had straps which clung to the tan, and the collar had three straps going across the front. The tan strip extended down to Naruto's knees in the front, and had six more of the "straps"; two on either side and two on the bottom. A navy blue obi wrapped around the strap at Naruto's waist, to keep it from flailing, and he wore his navy blue jumpsuit pants to complete the top and bottom.

To top it all off, he wore a pair of dark blue sleeves that went from above the elbow to his wrists; and a netted shirt beneath all that, with his trusty scroll on his back. All in all, his look said, "Badass-Pseudo-BSDM-Chick-Magnet".

"Nice entrance, Uzumaki," said Genma, genuinely impressed. "Don't cut it so close next time."

As the other finalists left the arena, Naruto grinned with slanted eyes and said, "Gomen."

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"Can't he make up his damn mind?" groaned Kiba, clutching his head. "First it was the bright-ass orange jumpsuit, then the dark-ass blue jumpsuit, and now this…"

"It would explain why he was late," said Chouji, as he sat in between Ino and Hinata. "Fashionably late, that is."

A blank look later, Ino said, "Chouji… that is the most sophisticated thing you've ever said."

"… Wanna chip?"

"And the moment passes," said Ino, in a mock lament.

"Hello," said Kin, sitting next to Hinata. "Sorry I'm late… Naruto-kun wanted to make an entrance with his new outfit."

"New outfit or not," said Kiba, "Naruto's in for a tough fight."

"What's with Kiba?" asked Chouji to Ino.

"Kiba's just mad that Hinata-chan won't go out with him," whispered Ino to Chouji.

Kiba didn't hear that, nor did he need to. What he did hear was the dialogue between Kotetsu and Izumo, who sat to the far right of the Genin. The two Chuunin conferred amongst themselves that even though Naruto managed to get through the exam, he made it through on luck, and his luck was about to run out since he had Neji as an opponent.

They were unaware of Hinata next to them, but Kotetsu could have distinctly heard Kiba mutter, "I said that exact same thing, and here I sit." But when Akamaru started whining a little, Kiba took notice of the cat-masked ANBU in the back that caught Akamaru's attention. 'Why are the ANBU here? Did something happen?'

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Neji and Naruto stood before each other. Neji looked as haughty as ever, while Naruto looked determined. "You look like you want to say something," said Neji. All Naruto did was hold out his fist and say, "I told you before… I promise you, revenge. And I will defeat you. If Hinata-chan had died, then you'd leave this place in pieces"

Neji activated his Byakugan, and stared at Naruto. He almost flinched at Naruto's shimmering orange eyes… key word, almost. 'His eyes tell me that he has complete confidence… He shows no hesitance.' Shifting into his Jyuuken fighting stance, he grinned. "I will relish the despair on your face when I crush you."

"You talk too much," said Naruto, and a wind blew through the arena. "Let's start this."

With that, Genma said, "Okay then… first match of the Chuunin Exam Finals… Begin!!"

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Up in the stands, Hyuuga Hiashi, and Hyuuga Hanabi, Hinata's younger sister, watched the match with anticipation. "Watch closely, Hanabi. Neji is perhaps the strongest Hyuuga in a century. Not even your sister can compare to him."

Hanabi was awestruck. "Even more than Nee-san?"

"Yes. Even more than you most likely."

Hanabi turned her attention back to the fighters in the arena. Truth be told, she didn't like fighting her elder sister, and she knew her father was pushing Hinata too hard over the death of his wife.

Kiba watched the two as well, thinking, 'There's no way your new abilities will help you out of this.'

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When Naruto mimicked Neji's stance, Neji frowned and delivered the first strike. Naruto countered it with his own, and countered the next strike. 'Analyze his attack, mimic it… and counter!!' he thought, as he blocked every blow Neji sent.

Neji sneered and leapt backwards, and shifted into a new stance. "You may have blocked every hit before," he said, before rushing Naruto. "but you cannot block this!!" The Hyuuga genius ran at Naruto, and anticipated Naruto's hands coming up to block his blows. "Foolish!" he said, flipped over Naruto, before delivering a palm strike to Naruto's back.

As if by will (which it was), Naruto's ponytail flared and expanded covering the blondes back with jutting yellow quills. Neji, seeing the sharp points, barely managed to stop his arm in time before whipping out a kunai to block Naruto's.

Naruto's hair returned to normal, and he grinned evilly at Neji with his shimmering orange eyes. "In the back, Neji-chan? I'm hurt."

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"How did he do that?" asked Kiba, genuinely surprised.

"He just used Hari Jizou," said Asuma to Kurenai. "That's one of Jiraiya-sama's moves."

"I guess that means that he's gotten training from Jiraiya himself," said Kurenai, beginning to smile. "Things just got interesting."

Farther in the stands, Hiashi glared at Naruto as the blonde resuming his fistfight with Neji. 'This makes no sense,' he thought. 'That… thing should have fallen to the Jyuuken, especially from one as skilled as Neji.' Activating his Byakugan, he watched the two battle.

"What do you see father?" asked Hanabi.

"That… Uzumaki is somehow countering the Jyuuken strikes that Neji delivers," said Hiashi, now curious. "Every time he counters, he somehow applies the same amount of chakra that Neji strikes with. It's almost as if…" No, he shook his head. The implications of that thought were not up for discussion.

Neji, on the other hand, was slowly coming to the same conclusion that his uncle came to. "You've managed to block every blow I've sent," he growled. "How are you doing it? There's no possible way that you could be canceling the Jyuuken!"

"No way that you know," said Naruto as he blocked another blow. When Neji leapt back and ran forward, Naruto did the same. When Neji struck, Naruto jumped over the Hyuuga, and delivering three quick pokes to Neji's bandaged arm, causing the Hyuuga to cry out.

As Neji clutched his arm, he figured out the answer. Naruto's shimmering orange eyes were the clue, as were his movements; they mimicked his own. "You lousy bastard," he growled. "How dare you…!!"

"… copy the Jyuuken?" finished Naruto.

"Don't…"

"… interrupt me?"

Genma chuckled. Naruto had pulled a "Kopi-nin no Kakashi", and made an ass out Neji at the same time. "So much for the unique Jyuuken," he muttered.

Hiashi was infuriated. With his Byakugan and lip-reading ability, he had seen that Naruto was somehow copying the Jyuuken. "That… that…"

"Father?"

"Hanabi, that… Uzumaki has done the unforgivable. Somehow, he has copied the Jyuuken, and used it against a Hyuuga. For this, he will suffer greatly."

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"What's going on?" asked Kiba. "Why's Neji-teme holding his arm like that?"

Hinata covered her mouth is surprise. "The only thing that could hurt Neji-nii-san like that is a Jyuuken strike. Does that mean that Naruto-kun somehow… learned Jyuuken?"

"I thought that was a family-only taijutsu style," said Ino amazed.

"It is," said Hinata solemnly. "Naruto-kun's going to have the Hyuuga clan council after his head…"

'Leaving me to pursue and claim Hinata-chan as my own,' thought Kiba to himself. As selfish as this thought was, he reasoned with himself that it was for the best that Naruto lose to Neji.

Neji's thoughts were rather blunt. 'I'm going to kill him,' he raged in his head, as he massaged his arm and felt the pain cease. "Uzumaki, you have made yourself an enemy for life."

"Hah! I have plenty of people who want me dead," Naruto shot back. "And here I stand… Neji-chan. You're going down, and I'll show you that the Hyuuga are not the strongest." Naruto performed his signature jutsu, and three Bunshin flickered into existence. "Alright, let's dance."

That caught nearly everyone by surprise. "That's a Jounin level technique," said Izumo, to which Kotetsu responded, "He's an interesting guy. Now I'm not sure who's gonna win."

Neji had not really paid attention when Naruto last used this move during the Preliminaries, but now he did. 'It looks like he made solid clones, not illusions, and they each have their own Chakra Coils and Tenketsu. But…' he grinned, preparing to strike, "there's only one real Uzumaki."

The four Naruto's each drew their own kunai and rushed the Hyuuga, who was surprised by their speed. Before he knew it, they were upon him. 'Kuso,' he thought. 'I have no choice…' With that, he began to expel chakra from his tenketsu and spun…

Hiashi was caught by surprise by the dome of chakra that appeared. 'That's the…!!'

"HAKKESHOU KAITEN!!" shouted Neji as the dome of chakra deflected the four Naruto's. Three disappeared into smoke, leaving the real Naruto, who was livid. "That's supposed to be a Hyuuga Main-only technique!!"

Hiashi was beside himself with anger. "Talent like that is wasted on the Branch Family." At Hanabi's question, he continued, his eyes on Neji. "The Kaiten is a move that is only passed down to Hyuuga successors… In other words, that is a Hyuuga Main technique, as Uzumaki said. But he managed to reproduce the move himself?"

Neji stopped spinning and turned to the real Naruto. "You say that you want to become Hokage, eh? Only a select few are chosen to be Hokage. And you aren't one of them. My eyes show me that our talent is determined at birth… and that everything else is predetermined at birth as well," he intoned.

"Why do you always label crap like that?" yelled Naruto. "Destiny, Fate, Predetermination… all that stuff is wrong!"

"Then why do you say that anyone can become Hokage? Look at reality. Only those who are born with that fate become Hokage. It's not something you can become just because you want it. It's already determined by fate. People are different. They can only follow the straight-forward flow of life. But everyone shares the same fate… Death."

"Spare me the 'Fate of Destiny' crap," said Naruto, raising his hand to his lips, index and pinky raised. "There is no fate but the one we make for ourselves." With that, he shot a ball of wind from his mouth toward Neji. "Fuuton: Daitoppa!"

Neji grinned, and as the blast of wind slammed into him, Neji was replaced by a log. Naruto cursed and looked up to see Neji kick him backwards. Naruto didn't go down, but Neji was intent on putting him down. To that end, he slid into an unknown stance, but one that Hinata and Hiashi recognized.

"You are in the range of my divination," said Neji with finality. "Hakkeshou Rokujuuyonshou." With that, he rushed the now standing Naruto. "Hakke!!" With each blow he landed on Naruto, he shouted in correspondence "Nishou (Two Strikes)!! Yonshou (Four Strikes)!! Hachishou (Eight Strikes) —" He was cut off by something that slammed into him. Thrown slightly backwards, he looked up to see Naruto's ponytail waving protectively from around him.

"Naruto!!" went the cries of Hinata, Sakura, Kin, and Ino. This drew looks from some male spectators, including Kiba, but they shrugged it off and continued to watch the match. "That Naruto kid's in trouble, now," said Kotetsu.

"True that," said Izumo. "He avoided some damage, but he lost the use of his arms for this fight."

'What incredible talent,' thought Hiashi. 'To think that a member of the Branch Family inherited the Byakugan so strongly, even though they cannot succeed the clan.' Closing his eyes, he thought, 'Hizashi, perhaps it would have been better if you had succeeded the Hyuuga Clan.'

Naruto growled as he felt the pain in his arms. "You bastard…" he growled, "what did you do to me?"

"I sealed your Tenketsu… well, the Tenketsu in your arms. You can no longer use them to fight." Grinning, Neji continued to berate Naruto for his weakness. "Mortifying, isn't it? Unable to fight for your so-called dream, because your better has cut you off from it."

"I'm…" began Naruto, "… gonna kick your ass. I don't… know… what happened between clans, but… that doesn't give… you the excuse to… try to kill Hinata-chan!"

Neji glowered at Naruto. "Fine. Since you care so much, I'll tell you about the Hyuuga legacy of hatred." With that, he took off his headband, revealing a green right-side up swastika in between two green lines. "This detestable seal was carved into me by that despicable Juuin Fuuin Jutsu of the Main Family."

"This isn't gonna be an emo-sad-story that'll make you sound exactly like Uchiha-teme, will it?"

"I am nothing like the Uchiha," snapped Neji.

"Prove it, then!"

Neji was silent, then he grinned and said, "The Hyuuga are the strongest in Konoha."

"Case and point," muttered Naruto.

Neji then told Naruto of when Hinata had turned three, that Neji was branded by the Caged Bird Seal, as it is affectionately known. He said that it was tradition; Hinata's father and his father, Hyuuga Hiashi and Hizashi respectively, were twin brothers. But since Hiashi was born first, he became a Main Family member, while Hizashi became a Branch member.

Incidentally, the Caged Bird Seal was a control element. The Branch Family outnumbered the Main Family three to one, and the Main Family used the Caged Bird Seal to control the Branch Family, and to conceal the secrets of the Byakugan. Then the incident happened. Neji then said that his father was killed by the Main Family.

Apparently, an unknown perpetrator stole into the Hyuuga Compound in the dark of night, and abducted Hinata. He didn't get far though. Hiashi caught up to him, and Jyuuken-ed the would-be kidnapper through the heart, killing him instantly. When the mask of the man was removed, it turned out to be the envoy of the Raikage.

"It was apparent that Kumo was after the secrets of the Byakugan," went Neji. "But all Kumo got was a dead shinobi. So they made an unfair demand: Give up a Hyuuga Clan member, or face destruction. They wanted a specific Hyuuga Clan Main member; Hiashi-sama. And Konoha agreed."

It took Naruto a few moments to process what Neji said. Then he realized what had probably happened. "The Hyuuga Clan gave up your father instead… since Hinata-chan's dad and your dad were twins, and no one would be able to… tell them apart."

Neji had to hand it to Naruto, he was smarter than he looked. "Yes, thanks to the murder of my father, war was averted! Death is the only way to escape the detestable Juuin Fuuin. The two, Hiashi-sama and Hizashi-tou-sama, their fates were determined by the order of their birth. And you…" he pointed at Naruto. "Your fate was sealed when I became your opponent. You cannot hope to stand against me, and you have no idea what it's like to have a seal you'll never be rid of."

Naruto ignored that last part of Neji's outburst and said, "So because of some Kumo-nin Jounin kidnapping a three-year-old Hinata-chan, you hate the Main Family?"

"Exactly."

Naruto was quiet, then he raised his voice for all to hear. "You're some kind of moron, you know that?"

At Neji's twitch, he continued. "Anyone with sense could see that Hinata-chan at three years old was no match for a seasoned Jounin, and all she could do was wait to be rescued… which happened." He looked directly at Hiashi, who glared back, then resumed his speech.

"Yes, the Hyuuga Main Family forced your dad to be a body-double, but Hinata-chan had no say in the matter. As much as an asshole her dad is, he probably would have tried to give himself up first."

Hiashi flinched. Naruto had nearly come to the truth, and he was an outside observer. This made Hiashi start to reevaluate Naruto; perhaps there was more to Uzumaki than met the eye…

"In regards to you, you're mad that you lost your dad, so you take out your frustration on your younger cousin. That makes you a bully."

"The kid's got a point," commented Asuma, nodding sagely.

"Uzumaki, if you say another word…" began Neji.

"Hey everybody, look at me!" Naruto yelled out. "I'm Hyuuga Neji! I regularly beat up my younger cousin, who happens to be a woman!"

Ouch. Copying the Jyuuken and calling Neji a familial abuser… make that a woman beater. That sent a wave of shock through the stands, with the Genin themselves shocked to silence.

"He has some courage," commented the Kazekage. "He just insulted the pride of the Hyuuga two ways now."

Sandaime dropped his head, so his fellow Kage couldn't see the grin that was threatening to split his face. As terrible as that event was, it _was_ funny to hear it coming out of Naruto's mouth.

Asuma thought so, too. "I really like this kid now."

Kurenai stared at her friend in shock. "What is the matter with you!? He just insulted the Hyuuga in front of everyone…!"

"And he also proved that Neji had no real sense back in the Preliminaries, and he's also preying on his opponent's weakness… anger."

Kurenai realized what he meant. "An angry opponent… makes mistakes."

Neji was beyond angry, though. "Screw the rules," he snarled. "I'm going to kill you." Whipping out a kunai, he charged at Naruto, intent on gutting him and showing his organs to Hinata as a trophy.

"Before you do," said Naruto, and he whispered something. His eyes went from shimmering orange to shimmering blue, and he said, "Could you suddenly grunt and be thrown backwards by an invisible force?"

"What the hell are you—URGH!!" Neji was cut off as something slammed into him and knocked him backwards. He flew backwards and landed on his feet, skidding. The same force hit the ground in front of him, causing a crater to appear, and throwing him backwards. Neji hit the ground, clutching his chest in pain. "What… the hell… did you do?" he gasped out.

Naruto jumped into the air and delivered a roundhouse kick to Neji's face. The Hyuuga spun backwards, then hit the ground and lay on his back.

'That was weird,' thought Genma, as he watched Naruto approach Neji. When Naruto spoke, it was loud enough to be heard by those near the fighters.

"You should be grateful. Yes, you lost your father, but you still have two cousins who care for you, as well as an uncle who does… I think. There are those who have it worse off. Sasuke-teme lost his entire clan in one night, because of his brother. I lost my family to monsters… monsters that couldn't leave the peaceful alone."

"But at least we're trying to do something to honor their deaths; Sasuke-teme's training himself to destruction to kill the one who slew his family, and I'm trying to carry on the legacy with deeds and power. Look at you on the other hand… do you think that your dad would actually approve of what you've done, so far?"

Neji was quiet, as was everyone else. "What's your point?" he whispered.

"My point is, leave the innocent ones alone. Yes, we're shinobi and not truly innocent, but we are as children. Not even fate has any say with that. Like I said before, there is no fate but the one we make for ourselves."

'So very philosophical, Uzumaki,' thought a grinning Genma. "Shousa, Uzumaki Naruto." The crowd cheered for the first winner of the Chuunin Exam Finals. Naruto watched as the medic-nins took Neji away, and said to him, "Live your own life, and seek redemption. Life will treat you somewhat better then."

Hinata, Sakura, Ino, and Kin clapped joyfully for their mate, and Chouji got up to get more chips, leaving Kiba as the only boy with them. "Why am I surrounded by beautiful girls, but none I can touch!?" he muttered to himself.

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When Naruto and Neji left the arena, the crowd was still cheering. The two went to the Medic Room as a precaution. When Neji sat on the bed, Naruto took that as his time to leave. "Uzumaki."

At Neji's voice, Naruto turned slightly. "What will you do with sealed Tenketsu?"

Naruto grinned a little and said while leaving, "I opened them we'll you told me your life's story." He flexed his arms as proof, then he walked out the door. As he do so, he passed Hyuuga Hiashi. Then two looked at each for a moment, but that was all the acknowledgement he needed. Hiashi nodded, and Naruto bowed a little, and left. Sure, he didn't like the guy, but he had to show him respect, for Hinata-chan's sake.

Neji watched as Hiashi came in, and said, "Hiashi–sama, what business do you have here?"

Hiashi had a morose look on his face, and said, "I came to tell you about that day."

Neji remembered that day all too well. The day his father was stolen from him. So he said, "What is there to say? My father was killed so you could live!"

Hiashi withdrew a scroll from his robe, and gave it to the bitter Hyuuga, saying, "This has the truth of that day written on it."

Neji took it, grumbling, "How convenient. It probably has excuses for the Main Family written in it." At the sight of the words _To Neji_ written on it, he recognized the hand-writing as his father's. "C-Could it be?" said he, as he opened the scroll.

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"The crowd sure is noisy," commented the Kazekage.

"That was a nice battle," responded Sarutobi.

The Kazekage cast a sideways glance at Sarutobi. "Yes, it was, but… the match after the next is something that the head shinobi and the daimyos are really looking forward to. By the way, I didn't see either at the opening ceremony. They are here, are they not?"

Sarutobi knew that the Yondaime Kazekage was almost never the talkative type, and that there was something silky about this man's voice. But he decided to humor the false Kage. "Yes…" In his ear, Raido whispered "We still haven't found Uchiha Sasuke, and there's still the threat of Orochimaru."

Already the people were getting rowdy. "Where is he?" asked Shikamaru. "Is he planning to not show up?"

"He made a wise choice," said Shino, "Sabaku no Gaara is one not to be trifled with."

'What the hell is going on?' thought Kankurou, casting a sidelong glance at his younger brother, who conveniently began to grin malevolently.

"Whatever," said Naruto, arriving in between Shikamaru and Temari. "He'd better show up, or else he'll never live this down."

"Hokage-dono," said the clearly false Kazekage. "Before you do so, could you please refrain from disqualifying Uchiha Sasuke?"

"Forgive the interruption," said Raido, "but those who don't think much of time as a factor do not deserve to become Chuunin, no matter how elite or powerful they are. Unless he has a good reason that the head shinobi and daimyos will accept, there's no reason to wait for him."

"I see. But there is a good reason: Myself. Along with the head shinobi and daimyos, we all eagerly await the match after next. He is the last Uchiha, after all, and we in Kaze no Kuni wish for him to fight our Gaara."

"Then we'll start the next match," said Sarutobi. "In the meantime, we'll wait for him. If he doesn't show up, then we'll have to disqualify him. The same goes for Sabaku no Gaara."

Raido nodded, and disappeared, reappearing next to Genma, and told him the ruling. Genma nodded, and said to the crowd "Attention please! One of the contenders has not arrived yet for this match. So… the match between Uchiha Sasuke and Sabaku no Gaara will be moved to the last match."

That got people to thinking. "What the hell is Sasuke doing?" asked Asuma. "Sasuke-kun won't be forced to forfeit, that's good!" exclaimed Ino, while Sakura kept silent.

"Well then… the next match is Kankurou vs. Aburame Shino," said Genma. "Will the two fighters please come down?"

"I forfeit," yelled out Kankurou, not wanting to blow his cover.

Taking that as her cue, Temari glanced at Naruto. At his nod, she drew her fan, and waved it once when it was open. A gust of wind emerged, and she threw her fan over the rail and jumped on it, floating down to the arena floor.

"At least you seem willing to fight," said Genma to the now standing Temari. He then shouted up to the finalists, "Hey! Nara Shikamaru, get down here!!"

Shikamaru was less than willing to fight Temari, and planned on withdrawing like Shino. However, Naruto put a damper on that plan when he shoved Shikamaru over the railing, saying, "Hey Shikamaru… bye."

Shikamaru landed at the bottom and lay there. 'Damn you, Naruto,' growled Shikamaru in his mind as he stared at the clouds in the sky, ignoring the jeering of the crowd. 'Everyone wants me to hurry up so they can see Sasuke's match… so now they're being offered a poor opening of the main attraction… Mendokuse...'

Apparently, Temari wasn't going to wait for him to get up, because she rushed him, heedless of Genma's "I haven't told you to start yet!" She tried to bash him with her fan, but Shikamaru took out two kunai, embedded them in the wall behind him, and stood on them, successfully avoiding the blow.

"I don't really care about becoming a Chuunin or not…" said he, "… But I can't stand the idea of losing to a girl, so… you can count me in!" Clearly accepting his challenge, Temari leapt back, opened her fan, then waved it once, sending a gust of wind to pulverize the spot were Shikamaru was. Only to discover that Shikamaru was gone.

Said Genin was hiding behind a tree in the arena, thinking 'It's not like I can just clobber her… I mean, she is a girl…'

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Neji was stunned. His father, whom he had believed to have been murdered by the Main Family, had actually given up his life on his own accord. And his uncle was now on the ground, prostrated before him, asking for forgiveness. After Neji told Hiashi to lift his head, he would take his father's last words to heart:

_Neji, my son, here is what I say to you: Grow up strong. Protect those close to you, and find a way to defy your own destiny._

Glancing out the window, a lone tear streaming down his face, he thought, 'Otou-sama, is destiny like a cloud that floats in a predetermined current? Or is it able to get on the current that it chooses itself. I don't understand, but we might just end up in the same place. But if it is the latter, then we might be able to try hard to reach our goals in life. I have finally found out that it is the ones who possess the will to do that who are truly the strong ones.'

"I will become the strongest, Otou-sama," whispered Neji. "And I will prove that a caged bird is capable of defying its own destiny."

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While Shikamaru had been hiding from Temari, Chouji had shown up, without his Hitai-ate and eating Potato Chips and carrying more in a backpack, and taken a seat next to his female teammate. "Huh…" said Chouji. "Never thought I'd see Shikamaru fighting in the Finals. It's kinda weird."

"What do you mean?" asked Ino. "It might be true that he doesn't have any strong moves, but he's pretty good at devising strategies. That's why we were able to make it to the Prelims. He even jumped to the staged a few minutes ago. I think he's full of determination, unlike normal. He lets his passion drive him today." To her lazy teammate, she yelled, "Go for it, Shikamaru!!"

Said lazy-ass was currently crouched, staring at the clouds from behind the tree. 'The clouds are so nice… so carefree… Actually, I've got no motivation for this. I jus became a shinobi to live an exciting life.' Glancing towards Temari, he saw the hole that previously held Hyuuga Neji. 'Hmmm…' Then it hit him.

He stood upright, glancing downward for the briefest of glimpses, then grinned at Temari. 'But things are hardly ever easy.'

Temari, highly annoyed with Shikamaru, decided to take the initiative. "Ninpou: Kamaitachi!!" she said, and she waved her fan in Shikamaru's direction, sending a whirlwind at the shadow user.

Through the dust, she was able to catch a glimpse of movement, and then she saw a black line streak towards her. Recognizing it as Shikamaru's shadow, she avoided it, then watched as it stop inches short of her. Making a line with the butt of her fan, she then said, "Kage Mane… I've figured out its nature."

At Shikamaru's glare, she continued. "You have limitations to how you can manipulate the size and shape of your shadow. Even though you can stretch it at will… you can't increase the overall size past its regular surface area." In her mind, she formulated that even if he was able to extend his own shadow through the arena's wall shadow, the line that she marked was the furthest that he'd be able to get to.

'Temari's a good distance fighter,' thought Kankurou from his spot with the fighters. 'She's measuring the distance between herself and that guy with her fan. She's got this match won.'

In the meantime, Shikamaru had appointed his thinking pose: crouched, his hands in the circle, each finger touching their opposite partner. That caught Asuma by surprise. "That habit of his… He's letting time slip by like a certain old geezer. Whenever he's stuck on something, he assumes that pose." At Kurenai's questioning look, he said, "He's plotting his strategy. We've played Shogi a lot, and whenever he's taken that pose, he's never been beaten."

When Kurenai said that Shikamaru was in a real battle, Asuma said that back in the old days, Shogi was used by military advisors to plot strategies, and that Shikamaru would probably make an excellent military advisor to the village. He then said that as a joke, he had given Shikamaru an I.Q. Test disguised as a puzzle. "He's a sharp one, that Nara. He scored over 200… he's a damned genius! A lazy genius, but a genius nonetheless." All this was said to a now shocked Kurenai.

Meanwhile, Shikamaru had left his thinking pose and avoided a Kamaitachi sent by Temari. He took off his short-sleeved vest and tied it to a kunai, then threw it at Temari through the dust. She was able to block it with her fan, only to see the shadow breach the line she made, sending her into a slight panic, only to have to same result from before after dodging a few times.

"I see… so you were stalling for time, waiting for the sun to drop… so that that area of the wall's shadow would increase the surface, and thus increase your shadow as well! Since the length of the day increases the shadows…"

She was sure that Shikamaru was at his limit, at least, until her frantic brother told her to look up. Casting a glance upward, she saw that the kunai from earlier that was tied to his headband and vest was floating down. This caused a shadow below the makeshift parachute to appear, and Shikamaru's shadow surged into and out of it. Temari barely saw it coming, but she was able to avoid it once again.

'I never would've guessed that he'd use his own clothing as a parachute to give himself more shadows to work with,' she thought. 'This guy is something else. He kept me from noticing the parachute in the air with his shadow on the ground. But now, if I pay attention to the parachute, I won't be able to see his ground attacks!' Rather annoyed at having to jump around, she opened her fan, and slammed it into the ground.

"Time to end this," she said to herself. "He'll gain the advantage with the arena wall shadow increasing. I'll use Bunshin no Jutsu to create a diversion, then I'll distract him with the Bunshin while ending it all with a Kamaitachi." Glancing downward, she saw his shadow retreating. "OK!!" she said, going through the Ram Seal, then the Snake Seal. Right when she was about to do the Tiger Seal, she realized that she couldn't move.

"Kage Mane no Jutsu… Success!!" said Shikamaru, drawing his hands apart and forcing her to do the same. Turns out that the tree that Shikamaru was by was next to the crater, and Shikamaru had his shadow go in it, and it emerged from the other side nearly behind Temari, which what he was showing her by turning her head. "Remember when Naruto fought Neji? That crater had to have a mass of shadow… and shadow coexists with shadow. So I applied the same principle I used with the parachute for here."

Temari kicked herself for falling into his trap. But then she remembered. 'Th-The parachute was a diversion!? The parachute was a diversion to manipulate me over here?!' Glaring at Shikamaru, she growled out, "You-you bastard!!"

"Before they knew it," muttered Kotetsu, "everyone got drawn into the match."

"Yeah," replied Izumo. "Another possible Chuunin applicant, even if he's lazier than hell."

Kotetsu's words rang true, as everyone watched closely as Shikamaru and Temari (the latter forcibly) walked up to each other. The civilians, the shinobi, even the two Kage watched to see what happened. The only thing being spoken was Chouji's "If he gives up, you owe me twenty ryou, Ino…" and Ino's "Deal." Then he (Shikamaru) raised his right arm…

… And said "I'm done. I forfeit the match."

At this, nearly everyone watching the match did good imitations of fish. The only noise being made was Chouji's "See, Ino? You really don't know Shikamaru that well, do you?"

Then Shikamaru gave his reasoning to the glaring Genma. "I used up too much chakra trying to catch her with my Kage Mane. I'll only be able to hold on for about ten more seconds. So even though I've got about 200 more strategies planned out, time is a factor I don't have."

'That was… strange,' thought Genma, before announcing, "Shousa, Sabaku no Temari!!"

xxxxxxxxxx

Even though Shikamaru had forfeited, not much was to be said about him doing what he did, except that he proved that he had the mental capacity for a Chuunin. In any case, the crowd had dropped Shikamaru's match like a hot potato and were eagerly awaiting the next match.

Like clockwork, a swirl of leaves appeared in the arena, catching everyone's attention. The leaves eventually fell, revealing Hatake Kakashi and Uchiha Sasuke.

Sasuke, however, was wearing a different outfit than usual. He wore a black version of his regular outfit, except this outfit was a combination short-sleeved shirt and shorts that went to his knees. He had bandages on his left arm to the elbow, and a belt-like object wrapped around the bandages on his arm and lower legs.

"Sorry we're late," said Kakashi, to the joy of the general majority of the crowd. "Uchiha Sasuke reporting in."

"Well, you're lucky," said Genma with a small smile. "Sasuke's match has been pushed to the end, so he hasn't been disqualified yet."

xxxxxxxxxx

Temari rejoined Naruto and Kankurou, with Gaara grinning maniacally for his fight with Sasuke. There was silence, and then Naruto said, "Temari-chan, stay with Hinata-chan and the others, and hide your hitai-ate. You'll be a target otherwise."

"Hai, Naruto-kun."

"What?" gasped Kankurou. "What the hell is he talking about?"

"Your little invasion with Otogakure," said Naruto, without missing a beat.

Kankurou whirled on his older sister. "You told him!? Why did you tell him!?"

"Because she wants to stay here, with her new family," said Naruto, turning to Kankurou in his defensive state. "I'd advise that you keep that black on for mourning… that is, if you like your dad."

"What do you mean?" asked Temari, pointing to the Kage box. "He's up there, with the Hokage."

"Sorry to tell you this, Temari-chan," he said with a wry grin, "but that's Orochimaru up there, wearing your dad's clothes. It's hard to miss the stench of snakes." Glaring up at the Kage Box, he silently prayed that his Sarutobi-jiji would be okay.

Kankurou, on the other hand, was curious as to how Naruto found out. He wasn't going to bring it up around Baki though, who made his presence known. "Gaara's ready to fight," he stated (the obvious), motioning to his twitching student.

Naruto discreetly motioned to Temari to stay, and jumped down to greet his sensei and teammate. "Tardy much?"

Sasuke smirked and said, "Where'd you get that outfit, Copycat?"

"My ancestors made this, Copycat," said Naruto with a smirk.

"I take it you won your match?"

"Literally, without the use of my arms," said Naruto, then turned to Kakashi. "You almost got him disqualified…"

"Maa, sorry," said Kakashi, with a little eye smile. "We showed up fashionably flashy and late, but at least we're here, right?"

"True," said Genma with a smirk. "Sasuke's match was pushed to the end, so he hasn't been disqualified... yet."

Kakashi chuckled, then looked up at the glaring Gaara. Sasuke caught Gaara's glare as well, and glared up at him. Naruto glared up as well, and said, "If you lose to him, I'll lose what little respect I have for you."

"Yeah, I want to fight you too, dobe…"

Up in the stands, Sasuke fan-girls squealed out their crushes name, while others cheered at the chance to see the Uchiha Prodigy fight the son of the Kazekage.

In the arena, Genma yelled up to Gaara to come down, while Naruto and Shikamaru started to go back up.

With Temari and company, Gaara had that crazed look in his eyes as he left, and Temari predicted that Kankurou would attempt to say something. She covered his mouth, and hissed, "Don't say a damn thing, you'll kill us both!"

As Naruto and Shikamaru came to the stairs, they heard muffled squelches, and say a mess of red coming out of a hallway. Gaara appeared, wearing a satisfied grin, and bloody footprints. Shikamaru held his breath as Gaara strode past him and Naruto, while Naruto went to his defensive state. When Gaara was gone, Shikamaru let out his breath. "This may be wrong, but I'm sorta glad that those other shinobi were there instead of us."

"That may be true," said Naruto, relaxing. "The only other person I've ever seen who could kill so callously was Zabuza… Sasuke's got his work cut out for him."

xxxxxxxxxx

As Gaara and Sasuke faced each other, Lee and Gai chose that moment to arrive, as well as Kakashi. "Hey," said Kakashi, saluting.

"I've got nothing to say," said Sakura through gritted teeth.

'Looks like Sakura's pissed,' thought Ino, grimacing lightly.

"Sensei," said Sakura, growing concerned. "That mark…"

"Don't worry about it," said Kakashi, catching on that she was referring to Sasuke's Juuin Fuuin. He slightly relaxed when he saw Sakura visibly relax, then looked around the stadium. Seeing the black-hooded individuals scattered throughout the crowd, he winced. "Two teams of ANBU… eight in total," he muttered to Gai. "What is Hokage-sama thinking, that's too little for this huge stadium."

"No…" said Gai. "We don't know the enemy's plans, so they're more than likely on Intel duty."

Meanwhile, Genma had started the fight and leapt backwards. Gaara started off by getting his sand out of his gourd. Sasuke leapt backwards, thinking, 'So this is the sand that Kakashi was talking about…'

Out of nowhere, Gaara clutched his head, as if he received a nasty headache. As Sasuke looked on confused, Gaara started talking. "Please… don't get so angry… Mother."

'Mother?' thought Sasuke, furrowing his brow. 'What the hell is he talking about?' He watched warily as more sand appeared out of the gourd.

"I'm sorry that I gave you the nasty blood earlier… but this time, it will be different. Yes, different… This time, the blood I give you will be delicious…"

"Damn," said Kankurou, gripping the railing. "He's talking to himself again… this is bad. Is Uchiha Sasuke really that much of an opponent?"

Temari had a death grip on the railing, but she slightly relaxed when Gaara said, "Come," rather stonily. "It looks like it's passed…"

xxxxxxxxxx

Meanwhile, Naruto and Shikamaru reflected on Gaara. "You remember when we met him in the hospital?" asked Shikamaru. "He said that the next time he saw us, he would definitely kill us."

"But he didn't do it," finished Naruto. "He wasn't even thinking about us. To him, we aren't enough." Naruto grinned. "That was a mistake… I know that I could take him on, but you…"

"Way to build my confidence," Shikamaru shot back. "Right now, the only one who he thinks can make him experience what he wants is Sasuke."

"He's screwed."

"Have you no confidence in your teammate?" asked Shikamaru, raising an eyebrow.

"It's not that," said Naruto looking at the ceiling. "Gaara… you remember he said he was born with the Incarnate of Sand?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, the Incarnate of Sand is also known as Ichibi no Tanuki: Suna no Shukaku."

xxxxxxxxxx

"Here I come!" said Sasuke, tossing two shuriken. The sand whirled around and caught them, forming into a glaring Suna Bunshin that stood protectively in front of Gaara. Sasuke ran at the clone, which threw back the shuriken at twice the speed they came.

Sasuke jumped over the shuriken, and delivered a Roundhouse kick to the Suna Bunshin, which tried to deflect the blow with a raised arm. The blow knocked off the hand, and Sasuke landed on his hands, jumped over the surprised Bunshin, and delivered a crushing blow to its head.

The Suna Bunshin dispelling, Sasuke delivered a punch to Gaara's face, only to have a wall of sand rise up and block it. Undaunted, Sasuke smirked, and disappeared. Gaara and Lee had a look of shock on their faces, because they knew exactly where that move had come from. 'Fast!' thought Gaara frantically as Sasuke appeared behind him and delivered a right cross that sent him flying. 'Just like that ugly kid!'

"Those are Lee's moves!" said Gai and Lee in shock (at the same time).

"C'mon," said Sasuke, adopting Lee's stance. "I've seen the Suna no Yoroi, and I'm ready."

In response, Gaara sent a wave of sand at the smirking Sasuke, who vanished again. Sasuke slid right behind Gaara, and rushed him. Gaara's sand fought to form a shield, but Sasuke was able to kick the insomniac in the face. "What's the matter?" said Sasuke, smirking in the kicking stance. "Is that all you got?" Without waiting for an answer, he rushed Gaara again, circling around the Suna-nin exactly as Lee did.

"Sasuke's Taijutsu is like Lee-san's," said Sakura to Ino.

"And his speed is different from before," finished Ino.

Lee, listening to their comments, thought to himself, 'Uchiha Sasuke… You've managed to do in a month what took me years to achieve. But as expected, keeping up that kind of movement uses up a lot of stamina.'

True to form, Sasuke was starting to pant heavily, as was Gaara, who had just been kicked in the chin. Gaara glared at Sasuke on his knees, his Sand Armor cracked and peeling, while the other sand was in a part circle around him.

"What kind of training did you put him through?" Gai asked Kakashi. "What kind of training could do this in a month?"

"Sasuke had already copied Lee-kun's Taijutsu with the Sharingan before," said Kakashi, mentally apologizing to Gai and Lee. "To that end, I supervised Sasuke's training while he used Lee-kun's Taijutsu."

"B-but with just Taijutsu, he can't beat the sand," said Lee indignantly. "Look at me."

"Lee-kun's right Kakashi," said Gai, looking hard at his rival. "You saw that match the match between the hateful Gaara and the lovable Lee, and you must realize that Taijutsu won't work against a guy that even Lee couldn't beat. So why…?"

"Did I train him in some hastily learned Taijutsu?" finished Kakashi, his eye on Sasuke. "You'll see."

In the meantime, Gaara had put his hands in the Ram Seal, and the sand around came up to surround him, as he glared at the stoic Sasuke.

xxxxxxxxxx

"We need to find Kakashi," said Shikamaru, frantically. "We need to stop that fight."

"I'll do it," said Naruto, standing up. "You'd just get in the way… no offense.

"None taken."

With that, Naruto left the sitting Shikamaru and ran to find his sensei. At the exact same time, Sasuke ran towards the closing sphere of sand. He arrived too late, and barely stopped in time to avoid the sand spikes that jutted out. Jumping back, he cursed. "Damn turtle."

Up in the stands, the audience was in rapt attention. However, the small group of recognizable shinobi were drawn to Naruto's voice calling out to Kakashi. "Hn?" went Kakashi as he turned his head.

Naruto ignored Lee's greeting and said, "You might wanna call off this match. That Gaara kid's not normal."

"Naruto-kun…" began Ino confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Gaara's… well, you guys know he's unstable, but that's not the half of it. Sasuke's going to die if he continues this fight."

Kakashi chuckled and said, "He and I weren't late for nothing." He watched as Sasuke kicked the sphere of sand, then jumped backwards until he was sitting on the wall. Sasuke performed a set of seals, then held his bound left arm as electricity formed in his left hand.

"No way…" said an astonished Gai. "Is that…?"

"Yep."

"So…" said Gai slowly. "You trained him in Taijutsu to increase his speed…"

"Yep."

By this point, the electricity was electric blue and blazing in Sasuke's hand, and he ran. He ran, and dragged his electrified arm, the arm that crackled and chirped like a thousand angry birds.

"That's Kakashi-sensei's technique!" said Naruto in true shock.

Gai was surprised at Naruto's outburst. "How do you…?"

"I've seen it first hand, when he used it against Zabuza," said Naruto, ignoring the apologetic look Kakashi was giving. He had already told Kakashi-sensei that he threw himself in the way, so why could he let it rest!?

"Yes, well, you are correct," said Gai. "That is Kakashi's sole original Jutsu. It's an assassination technique, with great speed of stab and chakra that heightens the flesh… The chakra is concentrated in the hand of the user, and because of the speed, you hear the sounds of a thousand birds coming for you. That is why the Jutsu is called…"

"CHIDORI!!" roared Sasuke, as he rammed it into the sphere of sand. His electrified arm sank into the sphere up to his elbow, and all was quiet.

"Why did you teach him that?" said Gai, breaking the silence rather harshly.

'This coming from the guy who taught his student how to open the Gates," retorted Kakashi with an eye smile.

"Jealous much?" asked Shikamaru, who just arrived, to the grimacing Naruto.

In that moment, everyone in the stadium heard a terrible noise. It took a moment to realize that it was Gaara's voice, screaming, "BLOOD… MY BLOOD… I FEEL MY BLOOD!!!"

"Great," said Naruto, loud enough for his girls and the two sensei to hear. "Now he just pissed him off."

"What do you mean, Naruto-kun?" asked Lee.

"You got lucky, Lee," said Naruto, serious for once (in a while). "You fought the container of Suna no Shukaku and got away with broken limbs."

Gai and Kakashi felt their eyes widen. "What!?" went Gai, his eyes on Sasuke struggling to pull his hand out of the sand sphere.

"What a Shukaku?" asked Ino, rather nervously.

"It's one of the Kyuu no Bijuu," said Kakashi darkly. "The weakest one, yet formidable enough to cause worry. And that's comparing it with the Kyuubi, which was the strongest of the Nine."

This statement was accented by Sasuke freeing his arm, with a five-clawed arm of sand clutching it, then letting go.

Up in the fighter's stands, Temari and Kankurou worrying conferred amongst themselves. "Gaara actually got hurt!" said Temari, shaking. Kankurou added, "And 'his' arm is there… did Gaara complete the transformation!?" Baki added in, "Damn Gaara… acting on his own…"

Sasuke, for his part, shivered in fear at the glowing yellow eye in the dark hole he made. As the sand sphere fell apart, he saw the glaring face of Gaara gazing at him hatefully, clutching his bleeding shoulder. 'That wasn't it!' he thought. 'What was that thing looking at me?'

At this point, Naruto began to see the feathers. There were feathers falling in front of his eyes, and he was becoming drowsy. Pointing at the arena, he ground out, "What did I tell you… Crud… Genjutsu…" and like that, he was out like a light.

Immediately, the Jounin, the other ANBU, and some of the Chuunin in the stands, placed their hands in the Tiger Seal, and muttered, "Kai!" Sakura, having paid attention in class, immediately did the same. Not drowsy at all now, she took note that Kin, Hinata, and Ino were awake. Shikamaru and the other boys weren't so lucky.

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Up in the stands, the false Kazekage set off a smoke bomb, obscuring the box from view. When he felt the signature of the ANBU coming, he jumped out of the smoke onto the roof, where he kept a kunai to Sandaime's neck.

He didn't even flinch when the guards he had were cut in half by the ANBU, only to turn out to be four kids, all about 14.

One kid had six arms, and his hair pulled into a ponytail. Another had blue hair, and what looked like a second head on the back of his neck. The other was a large kid with an orange Mohawk, and the final was a girl with red hair.

The four appeared on the corners of the roof, and simultaneously clapped their hands together and yelled, "Shishienjin!" Immediately, a purple wall rose up to encompass the two Kages. One of the four ANBU tried to penetrate it, only to burst into purple flames on contact. That was enough incentive for the other three to wait for the four to run out. They were understandably dismayed when the four sat down and erected a similar shield inside the corners, boxing them in.

"Stay safe, Sandaime-sama," uttered one of the ANBU.

"I was wondering when you'd show your face… Orochimaru," said a stoic Sarutobi.

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Outside the stadium, the walls of Konoha had been breached by the Kyodaija, the giant snake brothers. Hissing, they made their way toward the center of Konoha.

The Battle of Konoha, of Leaf vs. Sand vs. Sound had begun.

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Whew, that's more like it. Sorry about the lateness, I got held up by a Winter Session class that lasted from January 2nd to the 16th. However, I'm off for six days afterward, in which I will try to wrap up the Invasion of Konoha arc in about two chapters. Of course, that's pretty damned impossible to do, but I can try. Also, I'd like to thank you guys for putting up with me… I really appreciate it.

In other news, I recently saw **Cloverfield**. As confused and excited as I was going in, I was even more confused leaving. Though I can't really be surprised, seeing as how the movie was produced/written by J.J. Abrams. He's one of the big three:

H.P. Lovecraft. His stuff opens darkly, looks like a happy ending, then gives you a sour ending. XP

J.J. Abrams. His stuff is confusing in the beginning, and even more confusing in the end. Damned confusion… --

M. Night Shymalan. His stuff always has some sort of plot twist near the end.

In a happy note, I think I was the only one in the theatre to actually figure out what that thing was. Anyone who sees the movie, lend me your thoughts in the reviews. I'll may reveal mine in the Author Notes next chapter.

Other than that, I'm officially putting _**Wrath of the Dragon**_ on a temporary hiatus. It's not that I'm bored of writing it… I'm just having too much fun with this one. I'll probably update _**Wrath of the Dragon**_ right before the Sasuke Retrieval Arc in this fic. Well, I've said my piece(s). Have fun, and keep those reviews coming!!


	10. Path to Power: Power of the Chosen

Huzzah! Thanks to you for all your wonderful reviews. I see that you have your own thoughts on what Naruto did to Neji. Don't worry it will be revealed this chapter.

Another note; some of you say that Sasuke has gotten enough bashing, and I need to make him a good guy who'll stay in Konoha. My response is that I'm trying to stay as close as Canon as possible to make things believable, yet divert away from it to make my own believable fic. To that end, Sasuke will leave Konoha, but I'll change what happens. And it will be definite that Sasuke will end up with Karin, though at a later date.

Also, I'll reveal my thoughts on the monster in _**Cloverfield**_. I'll do this at the end of the chapter, though. I'll also reveal my thoughts on Sasuke as well, and my reasons for saying what I said. For now, enjoy.

Same disclaimer as always.

Blah Human dialogue

**Blah** Summon/Demon dialogue

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Chapter 10: Path to Power – Power of the Chosen

"Protect the Daimyou's!!" went the cry, as the ANBU leapt into action. They went into battle against the Oto-nin and Suna-nin which seemed to come out of nowhere.

A certain group of Suna-nin were having their own troubles. Kankurou, Temari, and Baki stood in front of the moaning Gaara, trying to figure out what the _hell_ he was trying to pull by jumping the gun and trying to jumpstart his… transformation.

"Damn Gaara," growled Baki, as he stood between his student, and Genma and Sasuke. "Trying to transform before the signal…"

Even though she felt that her heart (and body) belonged to Naruto, Temari still felt the sisterly instinct to check on her little brother. "He's feeling the side-effects," she said, holding her shivering brother. "It's impossible for him to proceed now."

"So what the hell do we do now!?" snapped Kankurou, watching the fighting rage around them.

"Abort," said Baki, his eyes on Genma's. "You two take Gaara and retreat. I join the battle. Now leave."

With that, Kankurou and Temari took off with Gaara in tow, leaving Baki to face off against Genma and Sasuke.

"So…" said Genma, breaking the silence. "Is the leader of this party Orochimaru by any chance?"

"Hell if I know," said Baki, as he grinned and slowly shifted into a fighting stance. "But let's just join in on the fun… shall we?"

"Hey!" yelled Sasuke, annoyed at being ignored. "What's going on!?"

"The Chuunin Exams have ended," said Genma, his eyes on Baki. "Go after Gaara and the other two." When Sasuke hesitated, Genma added. "You're pretty much a mid-to-high Chuunin. You're a Konoha-nin, so make yourself useful and follow them."

With that, Sasuke leapt over the wall and away from the fighting, to follow the new mission he had been given.

Up in the stands, Kakashi mentally groaned at the sight of his headstrong subordinate. He heard Gai say, "Oto-nin and one traitor… and a barrier Ninjutsu at the roof of the central watchtower."

That Kakashi's attention, and when he looked up, he saw the last person he wanted to see. "Orochimaru!?"

"Not again," moaned Sakura, as she and Ino stood back-to-back, with Kin and Hinata doing the same. When two Oto-nin appeared out of nowhere, Sakura and Ino both whipped out kunai in defense, but found that they didn't have to when Kakashi stabbed the two Oto-nin in their heads with kunai.

"Just sit back and let us do all the work," said Kakashi rather cheekily with an eye-smile. Ignoring Sakura and Ino's "Hey!", Kakashi found himself back-to-back with Gai. "I'm concerned about Hokage-sama," said Gai, as he clobbered an Oto-nin.

"Don't worry about him," said Kakashi optimistically. "Let the ANBU handle things up there. Besides, Hokage-sama can handle himself. He's not the Hokage for nothing." With the battle raging around him, he turned his attention to Sakura and Ino. "You two seem to have a knack for Genjutsu… come see me or Kurenai after this. But still, cancel the Genjutsu around Naruto and Shikamaru."

"What do you want us to do?" asked Hinata and Kin, who joined up with Sakura and Ino.

"You can accompany Sakura and Ino on this mission I'm giving you… this A-Rank Mission."

"… What?"

"Sasuke ran after Gaara and his teammates," said Kakashi, as an Oto-nin jumped at him and received a fatal slice across the chest. "I want the six of you to track down Sasuke. Ordinarily, I would have only sent you, Naruto, and Shikamaru, but since Hinata's awake, you will be able to cover more territory. But be warned… enemy shinobi have more than likely entered the village, so it'll be harder for the seven of you to stay hidden for a while."

"Wait," said Ino, out of confusion. "There's six of us… two three-man teams… who's the extra one?"

Kakashi's response was, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" He slammed his hand down on the back of an unconscious person, and a little pug wearing a cape and a Konoha hitai-ate appeared in a puff of smoke. "This is Pakkun," said Kakashi. "He'll help track Sasuke by scent."

"You mean to tell us that the last person is a dog?" went Kin.

To everyone but Kakashi's surprise Pakkun had something to say about that… literally. "Hey little missy!" he said, looking up at Kin. "Don't call me a cute little doggy!"

"Kin-chan didn't say that," whispered Sakura to Ino, who nodded. ""Let's wake up Naruto-kun and Shikamaru," added Ino. The two crept over, where Sakura nullified the Genjutsu and woke up Naruto first.

Naruto shot up, blinked wearily, and said, "I really need to pay attention to Iruka-sensei more…" On that note, he kicked Shikamaru, who yelped and sat up, massaging his ribs.

"What was that for!?" snapped Shikamaru.

"For pretending to nap to avoid fighting," said Naruto. Hearing the clash around him, he felt the presence of an enemy behind him, and did a backwards somersault, catching the Oto-nin in the chin, and leaving him for Gai to plow through a wall. "Fast," gasped the Oto-nin as he fell.

"Alright," said Kakashi. "For Naruto and Shikamaru, here's the mission specs: Go through that hole, track Sasuke down, join up with him, stop him from doing something stupid, and take him to a safe location."

"Let me guess," said Naruto, crouching. "Sasuke-teme ran off to chase after Gaara and his teammates."

"Less talk, more track!" said Sakura, and she jumped out the hole, taking Naruto and Ino with her, with Pakkun in front. Shikamaru groaned and followed them, followed by Hinata and Kin.

"Will they be okay?" asked Gai.

"Sure," said Kakashi. "Just as long as they don't get in too deep…"

Unknown to either of them, one Aburame Shino had heard everything, and quietly flickered away via Shunshin no Jutsu.

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Sarutobi removed his Hokage robes to reveal his battle suit. Orochimaru did the same, to reveal the same clothes he wore when he attacked Team 7. "So, you have your funeral shroud prepared," hissed Orochimaru.

Glancing at the kids in the corners, Sarutobi chuckled and said, "Looks like I can't get out of here that easy."

Facing each other, the former sensei and student prepared to face off. The two eventually rushed each other, performing seals. Sarutobi finished with the Tiger Seal and muttered, "Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu.", while Orochimaru clapped his hands together and said, "Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei!!"

Immediately, a coffin rose up, bearing the kanji "Shodai", then another rose, bearing the kanji "Ni". Sarutobi knew what his former student was doing, and he clapped his hands together in a fist. 'I must stop the third one!!'

He was able to stop it, and his shuriken slammed into the other two. 'The third one… it didn't work it seems,' he thought. 'Oh, well… that's fine. I was able to stop the third one… but things are gonna be tougher now. Of all the people he could summon, he had to summon those two…'

The coffin lids fell to the ground, to reveal… the hunched over decayed forms of Shodai Hokage, and his brother Nidaime [Hokage. Shodai had long black hair that cascaded down his back, and red samurai armor over a black bodysuit, and Nidaime was an albino with blue samurai armor and a white boa around his collar.

"It's been a long time, eh Saru?" said Nidaime, in a voice that hadn't spoken in decades.

"Oh, hello Sarutobi," said Shodai, in the same tone of voice. "My god, you've gotten old…"

"Although it is a pleasure to see you two again," said Sarutobi, with a minor twitch. "I would have liked to do so under better circumstances. And without the quip on my age."

Ignoring Sarutobi's last remark, Nidaime looked to the side to see Orochimaru. "Edo Tensei, huh? And from one so young… he's quite something, summoning us with the forbidden arts."

Even when dead, Shodai still smiled apologetically at Sarutobi. "I guess that means that we have to fight you then… Gomen, former student."

"How about you old farts leave off the chatter?" interrupted Orochimaru, as he held two kunai with Fuuda tied to them. "Get ready to fight."

"No matter what, there's always fighting in this world," muttered Shodai, as Orochimaru stabbed him and his brother in the back of their heads with the kunai.

"You will regret that, Orochimaru," said Sarutobi, somehow knowing that he might not walk away from this fight. "Making the dead into your tools is ill business… no good can come from that…"

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"Damn Sasuke," said Naruto as he and the other five shot through the trees, with Pakkun in the lead. "Making us chase him down like this…"

"For once, I agree with you," said Shikamaru. "Not only is this a sitting chore, he's gonna get us and himself killed."

"It can't be helped," said Sakura. "It's Kakashi-sensei's orders!"

"Besides," added Ino, trying to lighten the situation, "Imagine the pay we'll get for a successful A-Rank Mission."

While this went on, no less than ten Oto-nin surveyed the Genin with cold eyes, then shot off after them undetected. Or so they thought.

Pakkun caught their scent, and yelled out, "You guys might want to pick up the pace… we're being followed!"

"Friendly?"

"No. There's eight… no, nine… one more… ten enemy shinobi tailing us!" said Pakkun. "They're coming from behind and closing fast."

"What, already!?" went Shikamaru.

"They haven't got a lock on us yet, but they're closing in fast, and on the lookout for any surprise attacks."

"I see them," said Hinata, her Byakugan activated. "They're all maybe mid-to-high Chuunin."

"Shit," cursed Shikamaru. "If they catch up with us, we'll be annihilated."

"We'll ambush them, then!" said Naruto, going to his defensive state.

"It won't work," said Kin. "Orochimaru taught us all Konoha-nin ambush tactics. I know what they know, and vice-versa. They'll smell a trap and be on us in moments."

Shikamaru cursed again. "And here I thought we might have been able to pull it off, but we can just forget it." At their confused looks, he sighed. "Okay, here goes: There have to be two conditions that have to be met to make an ambush effective. First, those fleeing have to do so quietly, and discover the enemy first. Thanks to Pakkun, we've fulfilled that condition."

"The second condition is locate a place to hide and wait to ambush them, ensuring protection for the ambushers and the promise of maximum damage for the enemy. Only when those two conditions are met will the ambush work. But we can't do it since the commander of these shinobi was originally from Konoha, and knows every one of our tricks."

"We've got an unknown factor though," said Naruto. "Me!"

"Yeah, but they've got a team probably trained for search and destroy missions, on our geography," responded Shikamaru. "To that end, the ambush might work for us, but there are still too many unknown variables. They've got a group who's probably mastered the art of hunting, and what do we have? A fighting smartass, a defected Oto-nin, a female Hyuuga, a kunoichi with no real abilities, a kunoichi suited for intel-gathering, a talking dog, and a guy who excels at running; me!"

"Even though those weren't needed," said Kin, narrowing her eyes. "He's right. It's all battle tactics, and the only thing we can do at this point is stall."

"She's right," said Sakura. "One of us has to remain behind to fake an ambush."

"Of course, the one who does will probably kick the bucket," said Shikamaru. "You guys need the dog to track Sasuke, so I guess… the decoy is gonna have to be me."

"What!?" went Naruto and Ino. "Why you?!"

Shikamaru grabbed a branch that went by and swung upwards to crouch on it. "I'm the only here that can do it. Kage Mane no Jutsu was originally a delaying tactic."

"I'm staying, too," said Ino, grabbing the same branch. When Naruto and Sakura were about to protest, Ino said. "I need to help my teammate. If Chouji were here, he would have done the same."

After a moment, Naruto nodded hesitantly and turned to catch up. "If she's hurt, I'll hold you responsible," he growled to Shikamaru, and shot off, following Sakura and Pakkun, with Hinata and Kin close behind.

"What did he mean by that?" Shikamaru asked a reddening Ino. Ino cleared her throat and said, "Here they come."

"They" were the ten Oto-nin hunting them down. "Amateurs," commented their leader, seeing the broken twigs and footprints in the tree limbs.

Meanwhile, Pakkun commented on how the Oto-nin were closing in. "They couldn't have run away for real… could they?" asked Sakura.

"Not Ino-chan," said Naruto. "More than likely, Shikamaru used that brain of his to plan a good diversion… he'd better not get Ino-chan hurt, though…"

Back in that part of the woods, Shikamaru sneezed as he trapped the Oto-nin with his Kage Mane. "Someone's talking about me," he commented.

"Would you look at that," said the lead Oto-nin. "It's just a kid."

"To think that high-class shinobi like us were caught by someone like him," said another. "I guess that this is the legendary Kage Shibari no Jutsu (Shadow Binding Technique), eh?"

"It's called Kage Mane no Jutsu, now," said Shikamaru. 'Damn,' he thought to himself. 'I used up too much chakra in that last match. This was a mistake, I won't last long at all… where are you, Ino?'

"Bet you feel tired," mocked the lead Oto-nin. He moved a little, against Shikamaru's will. "You're showing it. When that so-called Kage Mane ends, so will your life."

Shikamaru said not a word, but threw kunai and shuriken at the Oto-nin, only to have them be deflected by another set. "Resistance is futile," said the Oto-nin, as the one in the trees jumped down, wielding a kunai.

'Aw, crap,' thought Shikamaru bitterly. 'Here, I wanted to be an average shinobi with an average salary… marrying an average girl and having a girl, then a boy. Then I'd retire when my oldest girl got married and my son became independent, and then play Shogi under the cloudy sky. Finally, I'd keel over of old age before my wife… yeah, that's what I wanted…' Shikamaru grinned as he felt his shadow waver. 'Then I did a troublesome thing like this… Mendokuse…'

When his shadow retreated, the Oto-nin leader said to the Oto-nin behind Shikamaru, "Lop off his head for us, then we can continue."

The Oto-nin wavered, then leapt at the Oto-nin who talked, stabbed him in the throat with the kunai. As the Oto-nin clutched his throat, gasping out blood, the rogue Oto-nin stabbed two more in the chest, then fell as he was overtaken, but not without having done the Kai Seal.

"I'll take it from here," said Sarutobi Asuma, as he appeared behind Shikamaru with a dazed Ino on his shoulder. Setting down Ino, he whipped out his trench knives and sliced through the remaining seven Oto-nin with relative ease. Shikamaru fell back, landing in a sitting position. 'Rest, Shikamaru,' said Asuma silently. 'You've earned it. Both you and Ino.'

Farther ahead, Pakkun yelled out, "The enemy stopped moving!"

"Then Shikamaru was successful!" responded Hinata.

"Alright!" went Naruto. "You're a life-saver, Shikamaru!"

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The ANBU outside the barrier watched as the first two Hokages seemed to grow more and more… life-filled, for lack of a better term. "What is that jutsu?" asked the ANBU with the black patch on his mask.

"Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei," answered the cat-masked ANBU. "It's a Kinjutsu that allows the dead to return to this world. Normally, any summoning jutsu would require the user to offer their blood as compensation. But this jutsu summons and holds a dead soul to this plain of existence… I've heard that in order to do that, you need to sacrifice a living person to be the vessel for the targeted soul."

"So that means that those bodies…?"

"… are just collections of dust and ash around the sacrifices that take the form of the summoned soul, or souls as the case may be. They act the same as they did in life, until those Fuuda are inserted. Then they become mindless puppets of the controller."

Throughout this dialogue, Orochimaru was chuckling at the grimace on Sarutobi's face. "It's the simple things in life you enjoy… like the joy and accomplishment you feel, when you wound the one you once called 'Sensei'. I thought that I would arrange it for you ahead of time."

"…"

"Please," said Orochimaru, clapping his hands together. "Enjoy."

In a flurry of motion, Sarutobi had complete an indeterminable amount of seals in a matter of second, then inhaled, and exhaled a gigantic blast of fire. "Katon: Karyuu Endan (Fire Element: Fire Dragon Missile)!!"

In response, a wall of water appeared out of nowhere around the three enemy shinobi. Sarutobi knew what it was, and so did the ANBU. "Suiton: Suijinheki (Water Element: Water Barrier)…" thought the ANBU in awe, then gaped when a water dragon appeared out of nowhere. "Such high level Suiton Jutsu without any water nearby…"

Sarutobi countered by spitting a bunch of mud. "Doton: Doryuuheki (Earth Element: Earth Barrier)!!" The blasts of mud and water collided, then settled on the rooftop. Sarutobi cursed when he saw Shodai making hand motions. "This won't be fun…" he muttered, biting his thumb. "Mokuton is something only Shodai can do…"

"Mokuton: Jukai Kotan (Wood Element: Birth of Dense Woodland)!!"

On that cry, Sarutobi leapt into the air as tree branches appeared out of the tiles of the roof. Within a short amount of time, a small forest had grown within the purple barrier. One of the branches had wrapped around Sarutobi, but not before he had completed the technique he did.

In a puff of smoke, a man-sized monkey with shinobi garb, a tiger-skin overcoat, a Konoha hitai-ate, and white fur had appeared. This was the Monkey King, King Enma.

Enma caught sight of the leering Orochimaru, and snorted. "Orochimaru… so it's come down to this." He turned to Sarutobi and shook his head. "See? This wouldn't be happening if you had killed him while you had the chance."

"That's what this is about."

"A bit late for that, isn't it?" mocked Enma, freeing Sarutobi. The Hokage only looked at the Monkey King, and he immediately understood. "Okay, here comes the Kongou-Nyoi!" Enma spun, and transformed into a black staff that was larger than Sarutobi himself.

Orochimaru chuckled as Sarutobi brandished the staff. 'Now things are interesting,' he thought, as he opened his mouth. A snake came out of his mouth, and then the snake opened its own mouth. This time, a katana came out. But this was no ordinary katana.

"Kusanagi no Tsurugi, eh?" muttered Sarutobi, as Orochimaru brandished his own weapon. "Here we go, Enma!" he roared, leaping into action. He swiped at the first two Hokages, and they ducked in response. This left Orochimaru open, but he blocked the end of the staff coming for him with the side of Kusanagi. He was surprised when Enma's head popped out of the staff with bared fangs, ready to bite his head off.

It was Enma and Sarutobi's turn to look surprised when they were cast backwards by thw two Hokages. "That was rather poor, Sarutobi-sensei," said Orochimaru, licking the blade of his sword. "I mean, a headlong charge and no Kage Bunshin? Really…" The Hebi-Sennin trailed off when an explosion engulfed Shodai and Nidaime. When the smoke cleared, Shodai and Nidaime were missing the lower halves of their respective left and right sides. 'I see,' thought Orochimaru, thoroughly amused. 'He must've done that when he charged.'

'My, the Kongou-Nyoi is a bit heavy,' thought Sarutobi, as he saw the blown off parts of the first two Hokages regenerate. 'So… the Edo Tensei will not disperse if I kill Orochimaru. Looks like I'll have to take care of those tortured souls first. In that case… forgive me, Shodai-sensei… Nidaime-sensei…'

Orochimaru laughed as he watched his former teacher clap his hands together. "My, you've gotten old… I've never seen you strain this much." Reaching for the side of his face, he added, "It's rather pathetic… you, who so many claim as the god of shinobi, defeat by your old age."

With that, he tore off his face, revealing that of a beautiful young woman, complete with womanly voice.

"What the hell is going on?!" asked the patch-wearing ANBU.

"Who is that woman!?" added the cat-masked ANBU.

"Who the hell are you?!" barked Sarutobi.

"Kukuku… Is it so much a shock that you can't figure it out?" At Sarutobi's blank look, she smiled and said, "It is I… Orochimaru."

An audible gasp came Sarutobi and the two ANBU. "My god…" gasped Sarutobi. "What the hell did you do, turn yourself into a woman? From the way it looks, you don't even have the womanly curves…"

"Those books you read have rotted your brain, Sarutobi-sensei," said the still-grinning Orochimaru-woman, with a slight twitch.

"He… she… it is right, Sarutobi," added the talking staff that was Enma. "It's finally done it, though…"

Sarutobi, catching on, said in shock, "You can't have already completed that Kinjutsu…?"

The Orochimaru-woman laughed and said, "It's been a little over a decade since I left Konoha… I suffered quite a bit, too…"

"You terrifying, inhuman, gender-changing …"

"Get on with it."

"That was partially the reason why I picked Minato to be the Yondaime, and not you. That, and your twisted ideology." Sarutobi remembered that day too well. Orochimaru had gone all twitchy when Sarutobi had made Namikaze Minato Yondaime instead of him. Sarutobi thought that he had shrugged it off, but then came the irrefutable evidence that Orochimaru had been responsible for the disappearances of several shinobi. Holding out on the fact that Orochimaru was loyal, he soon had these hopes dashed when he and the two ANBU with him discovered Orochimaru in a room underground working on a body, with bodies all around him.

Orochimaru had relayed to him that he wanted to understand everything in the world, like who made the first jutsu and the like. However, Orochimaru knew that something like that would require the proverbial eternity, so he had an idea: An Immortality Jutsu.

Sarutobi faded into the present, where he heard the Orochimaru-woman say, "My jutsu is a sort of Reincarnation Jutsu… Basically, you find a new body, anchor your soul to it, and possess it. The reason I maintained my old façade was because I wanted you to reminisce about the past. How you'll be forever old, and I'll be forever young…"

Sarutobi frowned. "It's Uchiha Sasuke you're after then, isn't it?"

"Correct."

"Well, this would explain a lot," said Sarutobi. "I always thought you were playing for the other team, but I never knew that you were leaning for the little guys… I mean, if it weren't for that girl among the four keeping us here, I'd have thought that you were only attract…"

"Enough!" barked the Orochimaru-woman. "I'm sick and tired of you and that worthless Jiraiya insinuating that I like the little boys!"

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Elsewhere, a certain bone-user sneezed. At the same time, a certain ANBU-impersonator did as well.

(A/N: This is something which has plagued my mind… What the hell did Orochimaru do to Kabuto and Kimimaro to make them so devoted to him? shudders)

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"Which face is that poor woman?" asked Sarutobi, feeling completely sorry for the woman who's body Orochimaru stole.

"Number two. I intend to possess Sasuke-kun after he's grown a bit more to my tastes…"

"I feel sorry for that Sasuke kid," piped Enma.

"Kukuku… but to have you die, cursing your fate with regret…" The Orochimaru-woman drew… her hand to… her face and covered it, before drawing it down to reveal Orochimaru's real face, complete with his silky male voice. "… I think that this is the better face, hm?"

"Yes," said Sarutobi. "I was started to get creeped out by that feminine look you had…"

Orochimaru did not say a word, but Shodai clapped his hands together. The branches moved around to spear Sarutobi, but he was protected by Enma, who multiplied the Kongou-Nyoi and formed a cage. "What's the matter with you?" asked Enma, an eye on Sarutobi. "This ain't like you…"

"Sorry," said Sarutobi, fading between the past and the present. 'Malice and ambition were always in his eyes. I've always been aware that he had these qualities, but I pretended like I couldn't see it. He was special… a genius bursting with talent, in a time of chaos and disorder… a genius that came once every few decades. I really wanted him to be Yondaime, to carry on the Will of Fire. Sadly, it was this weakness of mine which led to that event long ago, and this situation here…'

"Orochimaru!" yelled Sarutobi, thoroughly determined. "I'll rectify my past mistake and kill you now!"

"It's too late for that, sensei!!" Orochimaru yelled back, as Sarutobi performed Kage Bunshin. "Damn, you've gone old _and_ senile. Shortening your lifespan out of impatience…"

"Sarutobi, no!" said Enma, predicting that his friend was going to do something to get himself killed.

Sarutobi went into an order of seals: Snake… Boar… Ram… Hare… Dog… Rat… Bird… Horse… Snake… then Sarutobi clapped his hands together.

"He's using that Jutsu…" muttered Enma.

Behind Sarutobi, an imposing being flickered into existence. It had purple skin, a pure white kimono, a knife in its fanged mouth, prayer beads in its left hand, and a thick mane of white spiky hair that covered its head, with two curved horns poking out. Tied to the front was what looked like the faded shape of a man.

'That must be the Shinigami,' thought Sarutobi, without any fear. 'Only those who form a contract with this jutsu can see him…'

"No matter what jutsu you do, it is already too late," said Orochimaru confidently. "I've won. Konoha will be destroyed today." At his words, Shodai formed the Tiger Seal. 'Kokuangyo no Jutsu (Bringer of Darkness Technique) !!'

The area around Sarutobi grew dark, and he felt a blow from nowhere, and heard Orochimaru's taunting voice.

"How absurd. You're just one of many leaders that the organization called Konoha has… as time passes, those images in the rocks will crumble, and the organization that is Konoha will forget you."

"Konoha isn't an organization…" said Sarutobi, as images flashed through his head. Shodai… Nidaime… his teammates, Koharu and Homura… his Genin team; made up of Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade, Shodai's granddaughter… himself as Hokage… Jiraiya's Genin team… Orochimaru and his apprentice, Anko… Minato and his team; stone-faced Kakashi, mischievous Uchiha Obito, and little Rin…

"Every year, there are shinobi born and raised in Konoha… they live and fight to protect the village, to protect what's most precious to them. They'll go to their deaths to protect their precious…"

New images; a young Iruka… a newborn Naruto… an older Iruka, sans his hitai-ate and Naruto with Iruka's hitai-ate… an older, laid-back Kakashi with his Genin team; Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke… Konohamaru… the rest of the Rookie Nine… Team Gai…

"To me… my most precious… Even if we aren't blood related… they are still my family…"

Orochimaru's voice laughed. "So then, Konoha is a house. Then I'll break you in half, and without the Support Beam, the house will crumble."

Sarutobi laughed. "Even if you kill me, the house won't crumble! I am the one who inherited the Will of Fire from Shodai-sama and Nidaime-sama! I am Sandaime Hokage!! No matter who targets Konoha, there will always be one to rise up with my Will, and protect the house that is Konoha!"

As an image of a bored-looking Minato flickered into his head, Sarutobi clapped his hands together in the Tiger Seal. "Orochimaru!!" he roared. "Feel the full force of this jutsu… a jutsu that not even you have seen! Fuuin Jutsu: Shiki Fuujin (Sealing Technique: Dead Demon Sealing) !!"

As soon as he said that, the Shinigami glanced to his right, and raised his left arm. It became covered in marks as the ancient death god spoke in a guttural language, and as Sarutobi took blow upon blow from the Hokages in the darkness. When the Shinigami thrust it through the shadow of the man tied in front of him, Sarutobi felt a cold shiver run through him. 'Looks like I made it in time,' he thought as he took another blow.

His clones, through their senses, caught the two Hokages in a death grip. As the darkness cleared, Sarutobi watched as the arm of the Shinigami came out of his stomach and separated through his clones, latching into the bodies of the first two Hokages. As the arms withdrew, they drug out blue man-shaped forms.

"Gomen, Sarutobi," said Shodai, as his body began to fall apart.

"We've caused you a lot of trouble," added a smiling Nidaime, as the same happened to him.

"Forgive me, Shodai-sama, Nidaime-sama," said Sarutobi, before he roared, "FUUIN!!"

The arms completely withdrew, sealing the souls of the first two Hokages within the Bunshins. The bodies of the two Hokages fell apart, revealing the dead forms of Zaku and an unknown Oto-nin amidst the ash and dirt.

"You even treat your subordinates lightly," he growled, as his Bunshins disappeared and sent everything to him. As Orochimaru laughed, Sarutobi leapt at his former apprentice, and tried to catch him with Enma's extended arm. Orochimaru countered by sending a flurry of snakes from his arms. "Se'neijashu!!"

He failed to realize that that was a distraction until Sarutobi latched onto him. "Goodbye, Orochimaru!" he growled.

Orochimaru suddenly felt cold, like something had encased his heart in ice. Quickly thinking, he called Kusanagi to him, which pierced through Sarutobi, despite Enma's efforts to stop it. This confused Orochimaru. "Why didn't you try to avoid it?"

"Orochimaru, you fool," said Sarutobi, smiling as blood seeped out of his mouth. "I'm already dead. In order for this jutsu to work, I have to offer myself to Death… This is a Fuuin Jutsu in which the user pays the highest price for its use… Once the ritual is completed, both you and I will be consumed by Death… for this is was the very Jutsu that claimed the Kyuubi!"

For one of the few times in his life, Orochimaru felt true fear. He had heard rumors of this jutsu. Shiki Fuujin… the ultimate in sealing and double K.O. techniques. The target and the user would both be devoured by the Shinigami, where they would forever battle within the Shinigami's stomach. He watched as the Shinigami shifted into his view, then looked in fear as the Shinigami took the knife from his black-fanged maw, cut into the now-apparent soul tied in front of him, and devoured it, licking his chops as if he had eaten a delicious meal. The Shinigami leered at Orochimaru through yellow-irised eyes and let drool dribble down his chin.

"You bastard!!" Orochimaru yelled, desperate to get away. "You old bastard, I'm not going down without a fight!" At this point, Orochimaru could only move a finger, which he did to get Kusanagi to shove itself deeper into Sarutobi.

xxxxxxxxxxx

The Kyodaija were charging through Konoha, wrecking buildings while Konoha shinobi were eager to get out of their way, only to meet in battle with Oto-nin and Suna-nin. Suddenly…

"Kuchiyose: Yatai Kuzushi no Jutsu (Summoning: Food Cart Destroyer Technique)!!" came a voice, and a giant toad with two hilt-less katana's on its back slammed down on the one of the Kyodaija, causing the snake to shriek and disappear in a cloud of smoke. "Behold, ladies and foes beware, it is I, the Gama-Sennin of Mt. Myouboku, the one and only, Jiraiya, Lover of Women!!"

Said Sannin appeared on the head of the toad, with Ibiki, his Chuunin companion, and the two remaining Kyodaija gazing at him with awe… actually, more like they were gazing at him with stunned shock.

'Orochimaru,' thought Jiraiya, glancing at the violet prison at the arena, where he knew his sensei and former teammate to be in. 'What the hell are you doing?'

"Jiraiya-sama," said Ibiki as he approached. "Orochimaru's at the stadium with Sandaime."

"I see," said Jiraiya. "Don't go dying on us, sensei," he muttered to himself.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Kankurou winced as Sasuke landed in front of him. "You're not going anywhere," said the smirking Sasuke.

Kankurou took off his bandaged package and stood in front of his older sister and younger brother. "Temari," he said, his eyes locked on Sasuke's. "Take Gaara and go. I'll buy you two some time." As Temari took off with Gaara in tow, Kankurou sighed. "I guess there's no helping it… I'll be your opponent."

"No…" came a voice, startling both Sasuke and Kankurou. "I'll be your opponent…"

Appearing on a branch, Shino stood with his hands in his jacket pockets.

"You…"

"Why are you here, Shino?"

Two of Shino's Kikaichu crawled up his face as he said, "The bugs told me where you were. Uchiha Sasuke… as of yet, your match with Gaara was cut off. Chase after him, and let me fight this one… I was supposed to fight him anyway…"

"Are you sure?" asked Sasuke. "You think you can handle him?"

"I'll keep him off you for ten minutes…"

Sasuke smirked. "In ten minutes time, I'll be going back to Konoha." With that, he started off again.

Kankurou chuckled. "I don't think I've put fear in you yet. When I'm done with you, you'll experience true terror!"

Shino slightly raised his arms. "And you want me to experience that terror, do you?"

"No," said Kankurou, raising his arms as well. "If you defeat me and catch up to Gaara, you'll experience it then. Until then, you'll have to defeat me! Kugutsu no Jutsu!!" He punctuated that last part by clapping his hands together. The packages bandages flew apart, revealing his four-armed puppet Karasu, which draped itself over Kankurou protectively.

Shino, in response, let his insects emerge from his jacket and surround his arms. The two opponents glared at each other, eager for the other to make a move. "I am a Chuunin of Konohagakure…" said Shino. "I do not underestimate my opponents, and I am relentless in battle."

"Heh, bring it on, Buggy the Mime…"

(A/N: Same fight as in Canon)

Hinata gasped. "Naruto-kun, Shino-kun's in the forest… and he's in trouble."

Naruto narrowed his eyes, and began to slow down. "I like Shino. I'm gonna go help him."

Hinata shook her head and grabbed a passing branch, pulling off the same maneuver as Shikamaru. "I'm his teammate, I'll go."

"But…"

Hinata sent him a look that left no room for argument. True, she had gotten a lot bolder since their union, but really…

Naruto growled, knowing the danger that an injured Shino and still-a-Genin Hinata would be in. "Fine," he said, resigning that she was going. "I'd feel a lot better if Kin went with you, though."

"Hai," said Kin, and she stood next to Hinata. "We catch up as soon as Shino-san's secured."

Naruto nodded his assent. When Hinata and Kin took off, Sakura turned to him and said, "Well, this is a fancy mess we're in now. We're down to two Genin and a dog, with four teammates spread out behind us."

Naruto said nothing, but motioned that Sakura and Pakkun go on. "I'll catch up in a few," he said, turning around and going into his defensive state. "I can feel company coming…"

Sakura, feeling the incoming chakra of the enemy, nodded, and she and Pakkun were off, chasing down the reckless Sasuke.

Naruto glared at the two Oto-nin who arrived. "What's this?" said the one on the right, mockingly. "A little Konoha-nin lost in the woods?"

"The woods are a dangerous place for a little boy," added his partner.

"You're the ones in danger," said Naruto, putting his hands in the cross-seal. Two Naruto's flickered into existence, and the three leapt at the Oto-nin.

The Oto-nin drew katana which they used to slash at the incoming three. To their amazement, all three burst into smoke. They were about to spread out to search for him, when Naruto dropped out of the treetops before them, his eyes a shimmering blue with four black triangles. "Inpakuto!" he snapped, and the two Oto-nin felt something slam into them, knocking them backwards. Struggling to their feet, they watched in amazement as Naruto disappeared in a puff of smoke, then they felt a crushing pressure around their bodies.

Looking behind them, they saw that they were in the clutches of a large Dragonfly. This was no Dragonfly nymph… this was an adult Dragonfly, with a set of mandibles on the side of its head, and it grinned (something that should be impossible for an insect), revealing a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. Its neck extended from the thorax for a foot-and-a-half, and its thorax had the standard six legs of an insect on the side, near the bottom.

The first pair of legs, however, seemed less like legs and more like arms. Like Chi, they had bulky forearms with three blade-like spikes on the outside, and what was supposed to be a combination hand and claw (well, a massive claw, then) jutting out from the end of the forearms; except that these were more like crab pincers instead of claws.

On its back were four large leathery-tipped wings (yet translucent as Dragonfly wings are), and its abdomen was thin and the same size (length-wise) as the head and abdomen combined. It had a blade-spike on every abdomen segment, and the end of the abdomen had two curved spikes; which could be addressed as stingers.

The insect's head had a spiked crest going from the top to the back, and it had large reflective ash-green eyes with diamond-shaped pupils. In between the eyes were two small twitching antennae, and around the top of the eyes were six triangular plates; in addition, the Dragonfly had a red bandana around its neck, which bore the kanji "Juu-Go".

"Reinogan no Tomoe: Shougeki," said Naruto from his vantage spot on the Dragonfly's neck, his eyes still activated. "You've been the newest targets of Shougeki… basically I sent a burst of chakra from my eyes that hit you with the force of a half-ton boulder… which is why my clan members nicknamed it Impact Vision."

The two Oto-nin knew that he wouldn't be telling them this unless he knew that they wouldn't be able to tell anyone else. They paled as they felt the pincers tighten around them, and grew frantic in their attempts to stay alive. "Wait, kid…"

"You should have stayed away," said Naruto. "Too bad… I'm adverse to killing someone defenseless… but you two were going to kill me and my mates. Farewell."

With that, the Dragonfly opened its jaws and bit down on the screaming Oto-nin, silencing their cries with the crunching of bone and the severing of flesh. When Juu-Go (the Dragonfly's name/designation) finished his meal, he looked back at Naruto. "**What do you want me to do now, Naruto-sama?**" he asked, with a deep male voice.

"Go back and find Hinata-chan and Kin-chan. They're helping a fellow Konoha-nin. Take them and him to the village, but don't kill or maim any shinobi with the Leaf on their foreheads. Anyone else is fair game."

Juu-Go let Naruto slip down, and bowed his head. When he raised his wings, Naruto quickly added, "And if you need to mention me, refer to me as 'Tenmuujin'. And tell them that I'm fighting Shukaku-Gaara."

"**Hai, Naruto-sama,**" rumbled Juu-Go, and he took off through the forest. Naruto immediately took off in the opposite direction, using chakra to fuel his run.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Gaara's eyes snapped open. "Temari, put me down," he groaned.

Startled, Temari stopped on a tree branch and lowered him to his knees. She winced as Gaara clutched his head in pain. 'Damn, this is bad,' she thought, looking around. 'Shukaku's about to come out at any moment, and I'm all alone out here…'

"Temari, leave…"

Temari was about to ask "Why?", but Gaara smacked her away from him and glared at their new arrival.

Sasuke landed in front of Gaara, who clutched his head again. "I don't know what your village's game is, but I'm here to stop you. Also, I wanted to fight the real you."

"Moron," said Temari, sitting up and wiping blood from the corners of her mouth. "That's the last thing that you want."

Gaara face began to crack, and his right side splintered as if something beneath his skin was growing. "You, one who is strong… You, one who has companions… You, one who has ambition… You, one who is like me…"

The cracks on Gaara's right side grew more pronounced, and he covered his left eye. "Once I kill you… I'll have destroyed all that… Only then, will I survive… Only then, will I feel… ALIVE!!" Gaara fell to his knees, retching and writhing. Before Temari and Sasuke's eyes, his right arm malformed and grew larger, becoming the arm that grabbed Sasuke earlier. And Gaara's face… his face twisted and extended, to become that of a raccoon's. Sasuke shivered as that same golden eye appeared. "Come!!" he howled. "Help me feel it! Help me feel alive!!"

"Kuso!" cursed Temari, as she shivered. "It's starting!"

Sasuke flinched at the golden eye that gazed at him balefully. "It's that eye from before," he muttered, then gaped as the monster-Gaara appeared in front of him out of nowhere.

Temari saw the grove of trees that Sasuke was in get pulverized, and then she caught sight of him hiding behind another tree. Temari shivered in fear as the monster-Gaara roared, "Are you **afraid of me**, Uchiha Sasuke!? Are you **afraid of my existence**!?"

Sasuke remembered when he met Gaara over the month of training. Gaara had relayed some crap to him about the meaning of existence. That didn't matter at this point; what mattered was whether or not he'd get out of this mess. Performing the seals for Chidori, he held his electrified hand as he pictured his brother's face in place of Gaara's. "Itachi…" he muttered. "You left me alive so that you wouldn't feel guilty about killing the entire clan. You chose me to be an Avenger… so I would hunt you down, and kill you!"

Before Temari's startled eyes, Sasuke leapt out from his hiding place at the monster-Gaara, and tore through the malformed sand arm. The monster-Gaara roared in pain, then began to laugh maniacally.

"Oh no," Temari moaned out. "He tried to counter Gaara… now we're all dead…"

Shukaku-Gaara clutched his bisected sand arm with his human one as he cackled out, "**This is why **I'm so excited… I just **got the answer**!" Gazing madly at nothing, he laughed out, "**This pain**… Defeating a man strong enough to hurt me… utterly destroying him… **That gives me an even greater sense of existence**!!"

Sasuke grinned wryly, now recalculating his odds of winning in his head.

Temari, on the other hand, was terrified beyond belief. 'Not once, but twice has Uchiha Sasuke managed to hurt Gaara… He's a monster…' Temari shook her head, ridding herself of that thought. 'No… the real monster lies within poor Gaara… and it's starting to come out, with the right arm and face as evidence…'

"**More**!!" roared Gaara, as his sand arm reconnected, and a tail of sand appeared from the base of his gourd. "**More**! I want **MORE**!!"

"What the hell is going on?" asked Sasuke frantically, Sharingan activated. "He keeps changing…" Sasuke cursed as Gaara flew at him. Leaping up, he was barely missed by the mad projectile that was Shukaku-Gaara. Standing upside down, Sasuke watched as Gaara grabbed multiple tree limbs with five extending sand fingers.

"Dodging his attacks would have been impossible if I wasn't reading his movements," he muttered. "I would have been long gone without these eyes." Performing seals, he inhaled, then shot out a massive ball of fire.

"**Shi ne**!!"

"Okay, so fire won't work," said Sasuke, crossing his arms as Shukaku-Gaara plowed into him, knocking him backwards. He landed in a tree, with Shukaku-Gaara howling and taunting him. 'That was my second Chidori earlier,' he thought, grimacing in pain. 'Kakashi said that using a third one was a death wish… but I'm out of options!'

"**You're too soft**!" howled Gaara. "**You lack hatred**! The power of hatred is **the power to kill… the power to kill is the power of vengeance**… and your hatred is weaker than mine!!"

"Shut… up…" growled Sasuke, as he raised an electrified arm. He made that choice as soon as Gaara started talking, and pictured Itachi in Gaara's place. He and Gaara leapt at each other, Lightening versus Sand. When they landed on opposite ends, all was silent, except for the wind.

Gaara's sand arm dropped to the tree limb he was on, still hanging on from tendrils. Sasuke crouched, the marks of the Juuin Fuuin spread on the left side of his face. Gaara growled in pain, and Sasuke dropped to the surface of the tree. "Damned Juuin," he groaned. He watched as Gaara leapt at him, and cursed himself for his idiocy.

Gaara was ready to obliterate Sasuke, when a blurred figure appeared out of nowhere and delivered a solid aerial Roundhouse kick to Gaara's face, yelling, "Kee-yah, bitch!!"

Sasuke suddenly found Sakura by his side, and Pakkun as well. "You two…" he gasped out, coughing up blood due to the Juuin Fuuin.

"N-not again," moaned Sakura, eyeing the flame-like marks of the Juuin. "Kakashi-sensei said that the mark was taken care of!"

Naruto glared at Gaara with his first Tomoe activated. "Sakura-chan…" he said. "Get Sasuke and Temari-chan out of here, and join up with Hinata-chan and Kin-chan. Get Sasuke to Kakashi-sensei."

"He's right," said Pakkun. "We're clearly outmatched, and I'm not a fighting-type."

"**Uzumaki**!!" howled Shukaku-Gaara, crouching on the branch across from Naruto. "I failed to kill you last time, **but I shall not fail this time**!!"

"Get out of here!!" yelled Naruto, half-facing Sakura, Sasuke, and Pakkun. That was a mistake, as Shukaku-Gaara swatted him aside and leapt at the other three.

"Die, Uchiha Sasuke!!" he roared, then blinked in confusion as three Sakura's stood in front of Sasuke, each wielding a kunai. Gaara felt a memory hit him… Sakura looked exactly like his uncle, Yashamaru. On that note, he slammed his sand tail into the three Sakura's, revealing the left one to be the real one. He then slammed his sand arm into Sakura, pinning her to the tree behind her and knocking her unconscious.

Temari was by Naruto's side in an instant, and helped him to his feet. "Naruto-kun, all is lost! Poor Gaara is channeling Shukaku now… get Sakura-chan and the others away! Nothing short of a miracle can save Konoha, now!"

Naruto spat out some blood, and said, "So little faith, Temari-chan? I'm going to stop Gaara, because I'm going to be Hokage! And a Hokage wouldn't let his village down!"

Meanwhile, Gaara grabbed his pain-filled head with his human arm. "Why?" he asked, both to the unconscious Sakura and himself, remembering a time long ago…

_**Flashback…**_

A six-year-old Gaara watched from a swing as four older boys played a game of football (read: Soccer). He clutched at his teddy in sadness; he wanted to play, but everyone was much too afraid of him…

He watched as one of the boys kicked the ball up, and it landed in a wall. While they moaned about not having learned any useful jutsu, Gaara figured that he could do a good deed by using his sand to get the ball.

The boys watched in amazement as their ball floated down, but stiffened as they saw who caught the ball. "S-Sabaku no Gaara…" one of them stuttered.

On one accord, the four turned around screaming, "Run away, run away! Run away!!"

"Wait!" said Gaara, reaching for them. The sand leapt from around him and caught three of the boys. "Don't leave me alone…" he whispered. "I don't want to be alone anymore."

As the sand arced toward the fourth boy, a blond blue-eyed figure leapt into its way. It was revealed to be Yashamaru, who called out, "Gaara-sama, please calm yourself down!"

Later found Gaara gazing at a picture of a woman who looked like Yashamaru. That woman was his mother, and he gazed at her picture for only a moment before raising the knife in his hand to his wrist. He was tired of being alone, he wanted to be loved. Most of all, he wanted his mother.

"It's no use," he said sadly, as the sand prevented the knife from penetrating his skin. Clearly, Shukaku wanted to stay alive as long as possible, despite the misery he caused his host.

"Gaara-sama, as a member of your Medical Team (at Kazekage-sama's command), my duty is to protect you from harm. Although the sand will protect you, I must ask you not to do that again."

Gaara gazed at his uncle sadly, then asked, "Yashamaru… do injuries hurt?"

Unconsciously rubbing his bandaged head, Yashamaru chuckled and said, "Yes… but only a little, it's nothing serious."

"What… is pain?" asked Gaara sincerely. "I've never gotten injured, so I don't know what it's like."

Yashamaru rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then said, "Afflictive or dreadful… like you've been beaten or cut. You feel like you're in a position where you'll never stay like your original self. I can't explain it very well, but I can say that it is unpleasant…"

Gaara gazed at Yashamaru sadly, then asked, "Do… do you hate me?"

As an image of his smiling sister flickered into his head, Yashamaru was silent for a moment. Then he grinned and said, "People always get hurt… either by themselves or by others. But it's really not that easy to hate someone from an experience like that."

Gaara smiled a little and said, "I think I understand now… I think that means that I'm hurt, like everyone else…"

That caught Yashamaru by surprise. "…"

"Although it's not bleeding," said Gaara, clutching his heart, "the pain in here never goes away."

As his smiling sister reappeared his head, Yashamaru took the blade from Gaara and cut his own finger. "Bodies bleed from physical injuries," he said to the wide-eyed Gaara. "But eventually, the pain goes away with time, as well and medic supplies." Holding his own heart, he added, "But emotional injuries… they're much worse. They're harder to heal, and sometimes, the pain never goes away… What you feel, Gaara-sama, is heartache."

Gaara's sad eyes fell to the floor. Now he knew why he always felt as he did…

"But there is one way to be rid of heartache," said Yashamaru. At Gaara's ready look, he said "As inconvenient as it may seem, it can only be given to you willingly, and by someone else… That cure is love."

"Love?"

"Hai."

"Where can I get some?"

Yashamaru chuckled at Gaara's naïveté. "You're already getting some." Looking at the picture of his sister, he added, "Love is the care and devotion you feel for those most precious to you. I believe that my dear sister loved you very much before her death. Suna no Shukaku is an entity of offense… its absolute defense is a proof of maternal affection. Your mother's will remains in the sand around you to protect you."

Gaara hugged his uncle, feeling a bit happier. "Arigatou gozaimasu, Yashamaru."

Yashamaru hugged him back, and sucked on his cut finger. "You're most very welcome, Gaara-sama."

After Gaara left carrying a bowl of ointments, Yashamaru slowly began to bandage his finger. As his sister's smiling face appeared in his head, he almost regretted what he was going to do that night.

Almost.

xxxxxxxxxxx

It was nighttime, and the full moon periodically peeked out from behind darkened clouds. Gaara knocked on the door of one of the boys' house. The blonde opened his door a cracked, and jumped a little. Gaara held forth the jar. "Here," he said sincerely. "I'm sorry about earlier. It looks like it hurts a lot, so I brought you some ointment…"

The boy narrowed his eyes. Even though it appeared that Gaara was trying to make up for what happened earlier, it still didn't take the pain away. So he settled for a "Go the hell away," and shut the door in Gaara's shocked face. Idly, as he sat with his back to the door, he slowly registered that he might regret saying that later.

Gaara, on the other hand, sat on a ledge at the Kazekage tower. After he had been brutally spurned by the boy, he had accidentally killed a villager that gave him those eyes he hated. His village hated him, his brother and sister were never around, and his father hated him with a vengeance. He curled in a ball, moaning, "Yashamaru…"

His sand reacted, shielding his from thrown kunai. He spun around to see a masked Jounin, who threw more kunai at him. Gaara, in his pain of heartache, sent a blast of sand at his assailant. The assailant dropped to the ground, bleeding heavily, as Gaara took away the mask with trembling hands.

It was Yashamaru. "Well done… Gaara-sama…" he gasped out. And all Gaara could do was cry.

"Why?" he cried. "Why you? You were always there for me…" He started crying even harder. "You were my only pre…"

"It was an order," said Yashamaru, not wanting to hear that word from Gaara. "I was ordered to assassinate you… by Kazekage-sama… your father…"

That made Gaara sick, and he proved it by losing his lunch next to his dying uncle, who gazed with some measure of regret.

"Why?" moaned Gaara, sobbing. "Why?"

"You were born for the sole purpose of being Shukaku's Jinchuuriki… Until today, you were watched as an experimental subject," said Yashamaru. "When it became evident that you are not able to control the powers of the Sand as of yet, it became clear that you would be a danger to Sunagakure itself…"

Gaara, clinging to hope, asked, "S-So you were into this… it's all father's fault…" That hope was dashed by Yashamaru's declaration that he could have chosen to ignore the order, but he didn't because…

"… I've always resented you, for stealing the life of my beloved sister in exchange for your life. I've tried to look at you as her hope and joy… but the truth is that she was forced to birth you, and she died cursing this village. That is my heartache…"

"She named you Gaara, the demon who loves itself… fight for yourself, and love yourself was what she said. She wanted you as her weapon, her sword of vengeance to be feared in this world. That is the sad truth… you were never loved!" With that, he opened his vest, to reveal numerous Exploding Tags. "And now, Gaara-sama… please die."

The last thing Yashamaru saw before he was consumed by the massive explosion was his sister's face… only, she wasn't smiling. Rather, it appeared that she was angry. 'Sister?' he thought. 'Did you really love him? You do not smile for me now… so does that mean… that I was wrong?'

Yashamaru would find his answer in the afterlife. At present, there was nothing left of him but smears of blood in a crater. Gaara was safe from harm, protected by the sand. However, he was broken. His mind was shattered; he had never been loved, no one loved him, no one cared about him… no one but the Sand.

At that moment, throughout the village reverberated a loud cry of pain and agony, and soul-wrenching heartache. Many recognized the voice, and hid themselves in an attempt to block out the noise, to avoid the horrible truth.

Gaara stood to his feet, his eyes cold and filled with hate. Upon his forehead stood the newly carved kanji "Ai". He would never cry again. He would never forgive… he would never forget. "I understand now," he whispered. "I am Gaara… I'm all alone. I won't trust anyone, I won't love anyone, I'm all on my own…"

That was the death of the old Gaara and the birth of the new Gaara. Ironically, for years afterward, all of Suna would comment that they missed the old Gaara, who just wanted to be loved.

_**End Flashback…**_

Temari remembered that day, too. She had always loved her little brother, but her father had never let her or Kankurou near him. She wanted her little brother, but those days were gone… and she knew that she had some part in it, by not doing anything.

The present Gaara held Sakura in place. "**What's the matter**?" he roared to Naruto. "**Weren't you going to run away**?"

Sakura moaned out Naruto and Sasuke's names, and Gaara added, "What are they to you?"

"Sasuke's my rival and teammate!" yelled Naruto. "Sakura-chan's one of my mates! Now let her go, and take me instead!"

"How about… no," snarled Gaara, as he tightening his hold on Sakura.

"Let her go, now!!" roared Naruto, his bleeding red and his fingernails lengthening. He jumped at Gaara, who swatted him to the side. Naruto cursed, and performed the seals for Summoning. 'Ain't no way in hell I'm bringing out Dragonfly's while Sasuke's awake,' he thought. 'I'll try for Gamaken.' "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

In a puff of smoke, he got a toad… just not the one he wanted or expected.

"Hey, Naruto-nii-chan!" said Gamakichi, putting his hands in a peace sign. "What's up? Do you wanna play again?"

"Gamakichi, this is really a bad time," said Naruto. He winced as Gaara let even more sand cover him; now his upper body was covered in sand and like even more beast-like, with tattoo his only sign. "Scratch that," he said. "Things just got worse."

"Comrades?" laughed Gaara, still holding Sakura to the tree. "**I fight for myself**!" He detached his hand holding Sakura, and it kept her pinned there as he grew a new one. "She won't be released from my sand until you beat me," he growled. "On top of that, the sand will get tighter, and eventually it will kill her…"

Temari watched as Shukaku-Gaara launched Suna Shuriken from his arms, driving them into Naruto. 'I want to do something,' she thought, 'but Gaara will kill me, sibling or not. Plus… he's still transforming.'

Gamakichi nudged Naruto to get up. Naruto got to his knees, and spat out blood. "Nii-chan," said Gamakichi, pointing at Gaara, "What is he?"

"He's a Jinchuuriki, like I was," said Naruto, noting that he was exactly like Gaara when he was young. But then, he found his precious ones, and he didn't care what the villagers thought. "At least I know what could have happened," he muttered. "I could have ended up like him…"

As Sakura let out another cry of pain, Gaara taunted Naruto. "What's the matter? Are you afraid… do you fear my existence? Fighting for yourself, or fighting for others… what do you choose? **The answer is to fight for yourself**!** That is what it means to be the strongest**!!"

Gaara clenched a beastly sand hand and said, "Fight me! Fight me with your power, and I'll crush those powers! If you don't fight me… the pink-haired girl will die!!"

That spurned Naruto into action, and he leapt at Gaara, performing Kage Bunshin. Gaara merely inhaled, then exhaled a blast of sand and wind. "Fuuton: Sajin Mugen Daitoppa (Wind Element: Great Infinite Sand Breakthrough)!!" The blast slammed into the Naruto's and sent them backwards, destroying all but the original and slamming him into a tree.

"I won't kill you for now," smirked Gaara. "I'll just play with you… try to figure when you'll try to save your own ass… not that I'll let you leave this place…"

"You're underestimating me," smirked Naruto, standing up shakily. "Bad move."

Gaara laughed and slammed an arm into Naruto. "**This is only the beginning**!!" he howled, as he pummeled Naruto relentlessly.

As he hit the side of a tree, Naruto spat out another gout of blood. 'What's going on?' he thought. 'Why am I letting him beat me around?' Standing shakily to his feet, he activated his eyes, then felt them widen. 'So that's it then…'

Gaara glared at him. "His eyes have changed…" he muttered. Crouching, he grinned. "No matter… I'll still break him in two!" He launched himself at Naruto, then halted as someone stood before him.

Naruto blinked blearily. "T-Temari-chan?"

Temari stood in front of Gaara, arms outstretched. "Gaara, I can't let you kill him."

"Get out of my way, Temari," growled Gaara, baring his fangs and claws. "I won't hesitate to kill you."

"And you have all rights to," she said, scared out of her mind, but determined not to let her Naruto-kun die. "I was wrong not to be there for you when no one else would. Yes, it was father's fault, but it was mine as well for doing nothing."

"Bah," snarled Gaara, rearing back an arm. "Petty sentiments are useless on the battlefield… I fight for myself. That is what I am… **Gaara**! **The Demon who fights for Himself**!!"

He thrust forward, but was thrown backwards by Naruto's cry of "Inpakuto!!"

Temari look behind to see Naruto's shimmering pupil-less blue eyes [with four small black triangles return to their normal ocean blue. "What did you do?"

"I hit him with Shougeki," said Naruto, as he motioned her aside. "But now… I'll take him on without using the Reinogan."

"He'll kill you!"

"This has to be done, Temari-chan," said Naruto, glaring at the rising Gaara. "I was getting knocked around before because I was relying on my eyes. My eyes may be powerful, but they're a bad point if I'm in a long drawn-out fight. So I've decided to take him on as is, and prove that I can be strong without my eyes."

With that, he left Temari on the branch and leapt into the air, performing his signature technique. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!!"

As five Naruto's came at him, Gaara grinned and lashed out with an arm. He caught three of them, then watched as the fourth Naruto launched the fifth one at him. Snarling, he used his other arm to catch the airborne Naruto, but this one used Kage Bunshin to replace himself with another Bunshin. Gaara was surprised by this, and caught unawares as the sixth Naruto multiplied via Kage Bunshin, and a seventh Naruto leapt off the sixth one's back and up towards Shukaku-Gaara.

"Kurae!" yelled Naruto, as he thrust forward with a kunai. "Sennen Goroshi!!"

Gaara blinked as a kunai was shoved right were his crack was supposed to be. After a moment of silence, he glanced back at the squinty-eyed Naruto and slammed his tail into him. And then he heard the hissing…

Right as Gaara heard the hissing, the falling Naruto smiled and said, "Katsu."

The exploding tag went off, engulfing Shukaku-Gaara in flames and smoke.

Sasuke came out of nowhere and blocked Naruto's fall with his body, and the two fell against a nearby tree. Slanting his eyes, Pakkun commented, "That was some damn good techniques."

As the smoke began to clear, Temari gazed transfixed at the spot where her brother was, and Gamakichi asked, "Is he dead?" When the smoke completely cleared, they saw that Gaara was not dead. But he was pretty messed up.

His right side was bleeding sand and nearly destroyed. Supporting himself in the newly-formed crater of the tree, he chuckled to himself. 'I didn't expect him to target the base of my tail…' he thought. 'I wasn't injured, but look what he did to my body… Seems I underestimated him like he said… oh well, guess I'll have to end it here…'

Sasuke, the left side of his body still covered with the marks of the Curse, laughed tiredly. "Back to your old self, are you? And after all that… and you still managed to hit him only once?"

"Bite me."

"Naruto," said Sasuke, unsteadily getting to his feet. "You have to save Sakura. Once you've got her… run as far as you can get. I'll stall him as long as I can… even if it's only for a while…"

"Sasuke…"

"If I die, then that means that I reached my limits… but never again, will I stand by and let my comrades die… I've already lost everything before, and I won't let those dear to me die before my eyes again."

'Those dear…' thought Naruto, reevaluating Sasuke in his head. 'So he's not a cold-hearted self-absorbed bastard like I thought…' "That's right…" he said out loud, catching Sasuke's attention. "Me and him are the same… we grew up in the same hell of sadness and loneliness… at first, I thought he was strong because he was fighting for himself. I was wrong… his strength isn't real… real strength comes from one's willingness to die for those precious to them!"

Naruto clapped his hands together and felt the surge of energy that came with unlocking his red chakra. But this time, it felt different… it felt like something in his head stretched and snapped, and he felt limber and nimble. Putting it aside, he roared, "Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!!"

Everybody was surprised to see the amount of Kage Bunshin in the area. "Bunshin," whispered Temari. "Lots of them…"

"Sorry to have kept you waiting!" yelled Naruto, pointing at Shukaku-Gaara. "The Uzumaki Naruto Chronicles start right, right now!!"

With a loud cry, all of the Naruto's in the area converged on Gaara. Gaara tried to block with his sand, but Naruto countered but having some Bunshin kick him in the air, while the others rained blow upon blow on Gaara's sandy body. Two Bunshin delivered right crosses to the battered, swaying form of Shukaku-Gaara.

The force of the blows forced Gaara to the ground, and he lay in a crater that formed on impact. "What… is he?" he muttered. Seeing the Naruto Bunshins coming at him, he muttered. "All of a sudden… this power… how…" Feeling his rage boil up within him, he roared, "**How can I lose to a guy like this**?!?"

At this point, the final lines had been breached. A wave of sand and chakra blasted through the area, destroying Bunshin and knocking debris everywhere. Sasuke, awestruck by his teammate's performance, had a tree limb slam into him and was knocked unconscious.

Temari, who had avoided any real damage, gazed up in fear at the behemoth who appeared before them. "It's… it's finally out," she gasped in fear.

A gigantic Tanuki with a scale-covered tail and blue designs all over it loomed above the trees. It raised it's massive arm, and appeared to reach out for something.

That something was Naruto, as he watched sand swirl around him. Knowing what was coming if he didn't hurry, he registered that he had a lot of chakra left. Wiping blood from his mouth on the sand around him, he performed the seals for Kuchiyose.

Temari cursed as she tried to move, but was unable to. "My body…"

"To think that I was forced to use this form," reverberated Gaara's voice from the Tanuki. "This is the end for you… Sabaku Sou…"

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!!" yelled Naruto, as the cocoon of sand exploded. A giant cloud of smoke emerged from it as well, and as it cleared…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Tee-hee, evil cliffie! Yes, I realize how messed-up that it, but I want to know what you think Naruto should have summoned: Toad Boss, or Dragonfly Boss?

In regards to Sasuke, I really think that he's a prick. A redeemable prick, but a prick nonetheless. I honestly think that he treats those who can make him stronger like gum: Chews them up while their good, then spit them out once the taste is gone. And he's also got that bad tendency to dislike those who get stronger than him, like Naruto. In Canon, he's being portrayed as someone who wants to get his priority thing done, then deal with the mess he left behind later. Personally, I can really see him ending up with either Sakura or Karin (in Canon), but he's still unlikable, even at fifteen.

In regards to _**Cloverfield**_, let's look at the details:

The monster is reptilian.

The monster uses it's arms to walk.

The monster has jaws that opens four ways.

The monster has no visible legs, but it has stumps that look like tentacles where the legs should be.

Based off these characteristics, I think that the monster was… Cretaceous Rex from the series _**Godzilla the Series**_, made after the unsuccessful 1998 _**Godzilla**_. At least, that was my thoughts before I saw the mini-monsters. But since Cretaceous Rex was a mutated bacteria, I can see those things as mini-bacteria-monsters that spawn off of him. I think that that was a brief nod-off to the series, which incidentally did much better than the movie itself.

Those are my thoughts on both those subjects, and to make up for the cliffhanger… OMAKE TIME!!

Omake #1:

Orochimaru laughed as he watched his former teacher clap his hands together. "My, you've gotten old… I've never seen you strain this much." Reaching for the side of his face, he added, "It's rather pathetic… you, who so many claim as the god of shinobi, defeat by your old age."

With that, he tore off his face, revealing that of a beautiful young woman, complete with womanly voice.

"What the hell is going on?!" asked the patch-wearing ANBU.

"Who is that woman!?" added the cat-masked ANBU.

"Who the hell are you?!" barked Sarutobi.

"Kukuku… Is it so much a shock that you can't figure it out?" At Sarutobi's blank look, she smiled and said, "It is I… Orochimaru."

While Sarutobi stood speechless, Orochimaru continued. "The circle is now complete. When I left you, I was but a learner. Now I am the master."

"Only a master of evil and gender-changing, Orochimaru."

"What's with the _**Star Wars**_ quotes?" asked the patch-masked ANBU to his partner.

"What's **Star Wars**?"

Omake #2:

Kankurou winced as Sasuke landed in front of him. "You're not going anywhere," said the smirking Sasuke.

Kankurou took off his bandaged package and stood in front of his older sister and younger brother. "Temari," he said, his eyes locked on Sasuke's. "Take Gaara and go. I'll buy you two some time." As Temari took off with Gaara in tow, Kankurou sighed. "I guess there's no helping it… I'll be your opponent."

"No…" came a voice, startling both Sasuke and Kankurou. "I'll be your opponent…"

Appearing on a branch, Shino stood with his hands in his jacket pockets.

"You…"

"Why are you here, Shino?"

Two of Shino's Kikaichu crawled up his face as he said, "The bugs told me where you were. The bugs tell me everything… they even told me that you're wearing your brother's lucky boxers… the black ones with the ash-gray weasels and the red hearts on it."

Sasuke felt his cheeks grow hot as he yelled, "If they work for Itachi, then they work for me!"

Shino turned to the laughing Kankurou and said, "The bugs also tell me that you're wearing your sister's red lace G-String lingerie… her favorite ones, if I'm wrong; and that she's going to hurt you for stealing her favorite pair."

Kankurou reddened as Sasuke started laughing at him. "They're soft and silky," he yelled. "They make me feel like I can do anything, and like I'm wearing nothing at all!"

Shino raised an eyebrow. "The bugs also say that in an undetermined amount of time, you will partake in a bizarre mission that will have you in a bizarre fight of knights [with green stones versus shinobi. And you will have the same outfit as you do now."

"Well, now I know you're full of crap."

"And Sasuke will be molested by a redhead around age fifteen… or at least it's implied," added Shino.

"I think you should stop talking to the bugs, Shino."

Omake #3:

Gaara was ready to obliterate Sasuke, when a blurred figure appeared out of nowhere and delivered a solid aerial Roundhouse kick to Gaara's face, yelling, "Kee-yah, bitch!!"

Sasuke suddenly found Sakura by his side, and Pakkun as well. "You two…" he gasped out, coughing up blood due to the Juuin Fuuin.

"N-not again," moaned Sakura, eyeing the flame-like marks of the Juuin. "Kakashi-sensei said that the mark was taken care of!"

Naruto glared at Gaara with his first Tomoe activated. "Sakura-chan…" he said, with a magically-appearing green-colored scouter over his left eye. "What does the scouter say about his power level?"

Sakura gazed through her own pink-colored scouter at Shukaku-Gaara as the numbers reached four digits and kept going. "It's over nine thousand!!" she yelled.

"What, nine thousand!?" yelled Naruto in shock and anger.

Omake #4:

"Let her go, now!!" roared Naruto, his bleeding red and his fingernails lengthening. He jumped at Gaara, who swatted him to the side. Naruto cursed, and performed the seals for Summoning. 'Ain't no way in hell I'm bringing out Dragonfly's while Sasuke's awake,' he thought. 'I'll try for Gamaken.' "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

In a puff of smoke, he got a toad… just kidding, he really got...

"Battletoads!?" said Gaara in surprise, as three muscular toads appeared in front of him.


	11. AN

The administrators of are as of June 4th going to be taking down fics that have lemons or have extreme violence. Now I don't know about you, but I think that's stupid. There are many wonderful fics that only have one or two lemons in them yet the plot itself is awesome! You can't just take down a 100,000+ word fic just because it has a lemon in a chapter that is only 1000 words long. None of us had issues with each other writing lemons, and we probably won't anyway.

Now if these lemons are going to the extreme, then it is understandable if the story and (only that story) itself with the material is removed. as our dear friend Dark Dragen found out. This, however, does not justify the removal of an author without warning, as I found out on June 3rd, attempting to check on Dark Dragen's FAVORITES. Thousands of stories lost in the winds of this wonderful site, now waiting for someone to try to find them all again amidst the ocean of Fics.

This policy is damaging to us as artists, since as writers, that is what we all are. When I came to this wonderful site in 2003, and joined in 2005, it was with the promise of expressing my creativity, along with everyone else. With the June 4th Notice, we are now being told

"Sorry, Mike/Leo, we can't have you showing your David/Vitruvian Man because his wang is showing for everyone to see."

Overall, this new policy is a terrifying idea to us, because it limits our creativity, while ignoring that in the long run, real-world event are far worse that lemons and violence.

All over the world, child prostitution occurs, but is mainly prevalent in the Far East.

In Africa, child soldiers fight for corrupt governments

Just last week, it was reported that a college student in Baltimore killed and cannibalized his roommate for no apparent reason.

We the authors are asking you, the Admins to reconsider this policy, since it will be damaging to the site, in terms of the mass Exodus it will invoke.

This will be deleted at a later point.

Also, to everyone who wants more chapters to WINDOWS; like I said in my HIYAMA teaser, the data was lost. As it turns out, the computer I kept the info on got a Rootkit from somewhere (I assume my brother was downloading crap he shouldn't have), which crashed the whole system. Saying that I should have had a backup is pointless considering that the kit got into the USB Drive I had the info on. However, due to popular demand, I will be uploading a rewrite of this, working from scratch and old notes I found. To those of you saying I'm a promise-breaker, it's not that I chose to hiatus WRATH and WINDOWS, its that I had no choice (I'm looking at you **Im Not Itachi**)

Greetings to the fine folk that moderate our site.

Myself, along with many, have been writing and posting on your fine site for years now, some of the better examples of up and coming writers out there are now suddenly finding some of the stories we've come to love at risk of being removed without the chance to even rectify our errors.

For some, that means the permanent loss of a story. While I don't have anything that I believe violates your terms of use, there are those out there that are never able to recover a story in its original form, this is something I find to be almost worthy of a legal action, as while we cannot claim ownership of a character, the stories are OURS and simply destroying them is something that is inexcusable.

It's quite easy to simply add an MA rating, additional filters or even a simple requirement for a free membership to read the stories presented here, and would cut down on hateful anonymous reviews and posts at the same time, so I have to question as to why such a thing, in all this time, simply wasn't added.

If you're worried about falsification of a registration then have an appropriate disclaimer and then there can be no dispute, you took your steps and the PARENTS didn't monitor their children, if that is even your concern. If it is more of a personal view or desire then please at least let people know and give them a chance to remove a story that you and yours find offensive, most people on the site are actually rather cordial when it comes to such requests.

While I cannot say for sure if this letter will even reach those that may be willing to listen, or if it's more akin to a wide spectrum purge in preparation for something bigger, please understand that you are going to be losing a LARGE number of your writers, and thus your income from a lack of readers if there is not some level of action taken to help with this situation.

For those that may agree with this, please feel free to sign on and send this to the support server, maybe we can get some movement on this.

forum. fanfiction topic/111772/63683250/1/#63698621

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w1p  
Lord Arkan  
Xahn777  
T3Ko  
Dragon Man 180  
Alia-Jevs  
Fayneir  
Ookami Ousama  
Asdfth12  
Burning Lights  
EternalBlizzardOfSwords66  
eltigre221  
Jarjaxle  
HinaGuy749  
Great Vampire-Shinso  
Harute Haptism  
Oxyxoon  
high lord mage  
FatalCrimsonScion  
Starfire99  
Doombreed  
AdamantiumTP  
NightInk  
Wrathkal  
Firedamaged  
God Emperor of GAR-halla  
xArtehx  
Kapola Nuva  
HunterAzrael  
anime-death-angel  
sabery  
Bahamutzero94  
Soul Painted Black  
Infinite Freedome  
Rodneysao  
Shatsuka  
jm1681  
Ookami88  
Akira Strider  
empresskitsune  
KitsuneGirl021  
KagomeGirl021  
Joey Blaq  
Nex Caedes  
Billy Buyo  
lite spirit  
CelticReaper  
fullhouses  
Felur  
TitaniumWyvern  
NeonZangetsu  
LargerSnowdevil  
I'm Yu  
Define Incompetent  
Caw-Raven  
BackwardsHazard  
lord Martiya  
Umashido  
pokemoncosmoking  
sjghostwriter18  
scout360pyro  
taintedloki  
MtSarx  
kumar9900  
TehIrishBrony  
Uzumaki Crossover  
Etsukazu no Kitsune  
Ranger-kit  
rts515  
Soulblazer87  
Kamigawa Nagamaki  
F Archer  
us4gi-ch4n  
Shirabaka Tenji  
Spear-of-the-doomed  
Painsake  
Ben1987  
Spartan Ninja  
dante5986  
Victoriousvillian  
Sage of Eyes  
Boomerbambam  
YosoNoAkuma  
Megaman88  
Angry Hamster  
Warden of the Runes  
Kiyoi  
Silverstonedragon  
Akane Mosoa  
Cryofthewolf  
Culebra del Sol  
HouseMD93  
Doc. K-9  
dracon867  
Moka Mcdowell  
VGZ  
Oirarana  
Nightmares Around Winter  
chuck17  
Son Of A Wolf  
Daniel Lynx  
Sibjisibdi  
sleepwhenyourdead1989  
BackwardsHazard  
Hunter200007  
Zagger the Bloody Angel  
Zen Rinnegan  
Duochanfan  
alice the noble  
Zagger the Bloody Angel  
BRD man  
nano101  
ShotgunWilly  
EternalKnight219  
deadak  
Idiote  
AkumaKami64  
loki0191  
konoha's Nightmare  
zrodethwing  
ursineus  
KamenRiderNexus  
neko-hikage-chan  
Project Slepnir  
Narora Senoku  
spider79  
ZloGlaZ  
Erebus of the Banat  
belnonm  
Tristan Blackheart  
Xefix  
dbzsotrum9  
Nanna00  
kired-reader  
Kingswriter  
hollyshortfowl  
ChaosRaptorEye  
The Infamous Man  
Vampchick2010  
THE Dark Dragen  
26-Lord-Pain  
Vail Ryuketsu  
darkmatter13  
forbiddenfruitunloved  
lostandthedamned  
EmperialGem21  
Chiyo Asakura  
SnakeHead85  
Zediir  
OccultAura  
ZeroZangetsu  
will1by2  
Taullinis  
dregus  
rst64lc  
Leaf Ranger

SaiyanShinobi

Dez Guardius


	12. AN the Second

Well folks, the people have spoken, and it seems as though the Admins have slowed down. Unfortunately, the damage is already being done. Numerous authers are leaving in droves, and those remaining are at a stalemate. We just want the Admins to put up the necessary protocols that would allow us to keep our writings, like age and account verification.

I've noticed that most of the people who complain about stories are either Anonymous or not even authors. To date, the only that I've run across that I've definitely thought should be gone was a Dora the Explorer fic involving Dora and Swiper the Fox.

Yeah, none for me, thanks.

Again, look out in the real world. There are worse things than people writing smut between a guy and one or more girls, a guy and another guy, or two girls. Plus, look at the crap they show in movies

**That's My Boy **= Movie about a kid born to a young teen and a teacher. Admittedly, everyone has had at least one fantasy about a teacher in school, and there was a major case about it made years ago.

**No Strings Attached **= movie about casual sex, with scenes of casual sex.

**Saw **= 'Nuff said.

**Hostel** = Torture Porn; essentially dumb American college students in Europe lured to Hostels to the promises of lots of lovely ladies and men, and find themselves tortured for by rich Europeans for their pleasure.

So that's sexual situations in the first half and extreme violence in the other, and I have to admit that Hostel made me cringe. Yet I don't hear any large outcries against anything like the above. Plus, most of the people who make the stuff that we write fiction about don't care what we do, like good ole J.K. Rowling.

With that rant out of the way, on June 23rd, there will be an official Black Out. Authors will not log in, read, or review stories. Those who do not have accounts are also affected by FF's decisions too. Please participate and spread the news! If enough authors take part in this event, FF will know we mean business.

SPREAD THE WORD!

copy and paste this into your story updates, communities and forums

THANX!


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